LESSONS FORGOTTEN? A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF THE RCAF SEARCH AND RESCUE ORGANIZATION Lieutenant-Colonel Clinton Mowbray JCSP 40 PCEMI 40 Master of Defence Studies Maîtrise en études de la défense Disclaimer Avertissement Opinions expressed remain those of the author and do Les opinons exprimées n’engagent que leurs auteurs et not represent Department of National Defence or ne reflètent aucunement des politiques du Ministère de Canadian Forces policy. This paper may not be used la Défense nationale ou des Forces canadiennes. Ce without written permission. papier ne peut être reproduit sans autorisation écrite. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the © Sa Majesté la Reine du Chef du Canada, représentée par le Minister of National Defence, 2014. ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014. CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE / COLLÈGE DES FORCES CANADIENNES JCSP 40 / PCEMI 40 2013 - 2014 MASTER OF DEFENCE STUDIES LESSONS FORGOTTEN? A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF THE RCAF SEARCH AND RESCUE ORGANIZATION By / par LCol Clinton Mowbray 22 Jun 2014 This paper was written by a student attending La présente étude a été rédigée par un stagiaire the Canadian Forces College in fulfilment of du Collège des Forces canadiennes pour one of the requirements of the Course of satisfaire à l'une des exigences du cours. Studies. The paper is a scholastic document, L'étude est un document qui se rapporte au and thus contains facts and opinions, which the cours et contient donc des faits et des opinions author alone considered appropriate and que seul l'auteur considère appropriés et correct for the subject. It does not necessarily convenables au sujet. Elle ne reflète pas reflect the policy or the opinion of any agency, nécessairement la politique ou l'opinion d'un including the Government of Canada and the organisme quelconque, y compris le Canadian Department of National Defence. gouvernement du Canada et le ministère de la This paper may not be released, quoted or Défense nationale du Canada. Il est défendu de copied, except with the express permission of diffuser, de citer ou de reproduire cette étude the Canadian Department of National Defence. sans la permission expresse du ministère de la Défense nationale. Word Count: 25, 294 Compte de mots: 25, 294 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents i List of Figures ii List of Tables ii List of Abbreviations iii Abstract viii Acknowledgements ix CHAPTERS Introduction 1 1. Ad Hoc to Organized 6 2. Developing SAR Expertise 28 3. Aircraft Changes and Unification 46 4. ELTs to Peace Dividends 68 5. Lessons From the Past 89 Conclusion 110 Bibliography 113 ii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES List of Figures Figure 1- First Recorded Search Procedure 11 Figure 2- Initial Search and Rescue Regions 23 Figure 3- Search Patterns in 1955 38 Figure 4- Redefined SRR Boundaries (1961) 44 Figure 5- SRR Boundaries (1976) 66 Figure 6- COSPAS-SARSAT System 78 Figure 7- SRRs from 1994 to present 85 List of Tables Table 1- SAR Resource Allocation by 1951 32 Table 2- SAR Resource Allocation by 1976 66 Table 3- SAR Resource Allocation from 2005 to date 87 iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AEA ............................................... Aerial Experiment Association AB .................................................. Alberta AOC ............................................... Air Officer Commanding AOR ............................................... Area of Responsibility ASR ................................................ Air-Sea Rescue BC .................................................. British Columbia BCATP ........................................... British Commonwealth Air Training Plan CAF ................................................ Canadian Air Force CAF ................................................ Canadian Armed Forces CAP ................................................ Civil Air Patrol CAS ................................................ Chief of Air Staff CASARA ....................................... Civil Air Search and Rescue Association CCG ............................................... Canadian Coast Guard CF ................................................... Canadian Forces CFB ................................................ Canadian Forces Base CFS ................................................ Canadian Forces Station CMCC ............................................ Canadian Mission Control Centre COPA ............................................. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association CORA ............................................ Centre of Operational Research and Analysis CPI ................................................. Crash Position Indicator CRC ................................................ Communication Research Centre CSAD ............................................. Canadian Search Area Definition CSS ................................................ Combat Support Squadron iv CU .................................................. Communication Unit DFC ................................................ Distinguished Flying Cross DHH ............................................... Directorate of History and Heritage DND ............................................... Department of National Defence DOT ............................................... Department of Transport EAC ................................................ Eastern Air Command EEZ ................................................ Exclusive Economic Zone ELT ................................................ Emergency Locator Transmitter EPIRB ............................................ Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon FG .................................................. Force Generate FW .................................................. Fixed Wing FWSAR .......................................... Fixed Wing Search and Rescue IAP ................................................. Interim Avionics Program (Labrador) ICAO .............................................. International Civil Aviation Organization ICMSAR ........................................ International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue ICSAR ............................................ Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue IFR ................................................. Instrument Flight Rules IMO ................................................ International Maritime Organization JRCC .............................................. Joint Rescue Coordination Centre KU .................................................. Composite Unit LEO ................................................ Low Earth Orbit LKP ................................................ Last Known Position LMSAR .......................................... Lead Minister Search and Rescue LOS ................................................ Line of Sight v LOT ................................................ Line of Tasking LUT ................................................ Local User Terminal MAJAID ........................................ Major Air Disaster MAJMAR ...................................... Major Marine Disaster MARLANT .................................... Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic MARPAC ....................................... Commander Maritime Forces Pacific MCC ............................................... Mission Control Centre MEDEVAC .................................... Medical Evacuation MOTV ............................................ Modified Offset Track Variable MN ................................................. Manitoba MRSC ............................................ Marine Rescue Sub-Centre MSC ............................................... Maritime Safety Committee MVFR ............................................ Mountain Visual Flight Rules NL .................................................. Newfoundland and Labrador NM ................................................. Nautical Miles NRC ............................................... National Research Council NS .................................................. Nova Scotia NSM ............................................... National SAR Manual NSP ................................................ National Search and Rescue Program NSS ................................................ National Search and Rescue Secretariat NTSP .............................................. National Transportation Safety Board NWAC ........................................... North West Air Command NWT .............................................. Northwest Territories NVG ............................................... Night Vision Goggles OIC ................................................. Officer in Charge vi ON .................................................. Ontario OTU ............................................... Operational Training Unit OTV ............................................... Offset Track Variable para ................................................. common term for parachute or related to parachuting PICAO ............................................ Provisional International Civil Aviation Organization POD ................................................ Probability of Detection PLB ................................................ Personal Locator Beacon QC .................................................. Quebec RCAF ............................................. Royal Canadian Air Force RCC ................................................ Rescue Coordination Centre RCMP ............................................ Royal Canadian