Canada’s 427 SOAS: You have to want to be here!


Becoming a mission pilot with Canada’s 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron in the Texas desert is a special challenge.

Special operation forces (SOF) are woven into the structure of national militaries around the globe. Many are regarded as the most highly trained, well-equipped and formidable military operators in the world. They are valued for their ability to conduct unconventional and covert warfare missions beyond the scope of conventional military forces. 

427 SOAS personnel are expected to operate in conditions that are physically demanding and stressful with minimal supervision or support. The selection process is designed to identify individuals who have the motivation, attributes and qualities to pass training and survive operations in harsh environments. Dan Megna Photo

The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) is the element of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) responsible for SOF. Their stated mission: “To provide the Government of Canada with agile, high-readiness Special Operations Forces capable of conducting special operations in defense of Canada both at home and abroad.”

Under the CANSOFCOM umbrella are five distinct units: Joint Task Force 2 and Canadian Special Operations Regiment, warfighter units with assaulters/tactical operators; Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response; Canada Special Operations Training Center, a training center for all SOF personnel; and 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (427 SOAS), a precision tactical/utility airlift capability. A sixth entity is a headquarters providing command and control to all CANSOFCOM units.

The 427 SOAS is based at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, Ontario. It is comprised of highly motivated, specially screened and selected individuals who are trained and equipped to seamlessly integrate with the other CANSOFCOM units. 

While 427 SOAS elements were originally primarily focused on domestic operations, they have also developed an expeditionary capability that has been exercised in the United States and deployed in Iran, as well as in multiple countries in North and West Africa. Dan Megna Photo

“Our primary role is support for CANSOFCOM high-readiness Special Operations Task Forces for domestic and international operations,” explained 427 Commanding Officer LCol Francois Lavertu. “We accomplish this by generating dedicated special operations aviation effects as they relate to mobility, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and firepower. 

“This may translate pragmatically in scenarios where the squadron inserts operators on a roof top, provides casualty evacuation support to a Task Force or airborne security while ground elements conduct a direct-action mission,” he said.

427 SOAS is often challenged by the diverse environments the squadron operates in and the level of precision and synchronization that must be achieved to be successful. Dan Megna Photo

427 SOAS also supports and regularly trains with conventional CAF units for tactical and utility missions such as troop airlift, casualty evacuation, logistical support, and domestic search and rescue.

“Very few special operations are conducted without the support of conventional forces at one point or another,” said Lavertu. “There is a lot of value in creating those regular touch points with our conventional counterparts if only to maintain existing relationships, because everything we do is based on trust.”

The fundamental difference of 427 SOAS over conventional Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aviation units is their enhanced level of readiness, response and precision of execution. “We specialize in techniques like special operations insert and extract, rappelling operators out of helicopters, either by fast rope or rappel,” said Patrick, a captain and seasoned pilot. (Pilot last names have been removed to protect their identity.) 

The workhorse for the squadron’s multi-mission role is the CH-146 Griffon. “The Griffon is essentially a conventional Bell 412 that we have learned over time to fly to its maximum capabilities,” said Gerald, a captain in his 23rd year with RCAF. He served previously as a pilot in two conventional tactical helicopter squadrons before his assignment to 427. 

“We’ve developed techniques, procedures and progressive training for our aircrews to maximize the capabilities. We teach our aircrew to fly the aircraft really to its limits. We’ve developed skills that are more specialized, potentially, than our conventional counterparts,” Gerald said. “More focus on specific tasks that we may be called upon to do. I think it’s unique in how we employ the Griffon. We’re doing some things that you don’t necessarily find a conventional force doing. 

“Is [the Griffon] the ‘most capable’ platform for a particular task? Probably not,” he acknowledged. “There are capable helicopters that do, maybe a single task better. But we’ve developed a variety of skills to employ the helicopter very effectively for different tasks, and we can be quite flexible and skilled with it because of that.”

Here we have dust

This past December, Valor joined 427 SOAS at a remote training facility in Texas. The squadron traveled nearly 2,000 miles from their main base with three Griffon helicopters, several wheeled vehicles for fuel, maintenance and logistics support, and a contingent of personnel. They were there to conduct advanced training exercises for a small number of recently assigned pilots and flight crew.  

CANSOFCOM units can be called to operate anywhere in the world. As a result, 427 SOAS seeks to expose their crews to a variety of environments and terrain. The Texas facility provided opportunities to challenge crews in austere environments that many in the squadron had never experienced. Some crews spoke of being challenged by the unfamiliarity of the venue, the dark night skies, and the lack of ambient light.

Training in Texas provided 427 SOAS an opportunity to work in an austere desert environment. CANSOFCOM Photo

“Here we have dust. That’s a condition we don’t easily find back home, those dry dusty conditions, those brown out conditions,” said Gerald. “That’s very, very challenging even for experienced aircrews. And it’s very challenging at night. So, this is an opportunity for us to develop advanced skills in an environment that is different and potentially more challenging than we can find at home.”    

The crews also benefited from the warmer temperatures. Training evolutions involve prolonged periods of flying with doors open and off. The winter conditions in Canada limit the amount of time the unit can effectively operate. The warmer environment allowed 427 SOAS to train with greater intensity for a longer and accomplish more in a shorter period of time.  

The Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System (FRIES) is one of the techniques used to deploy operators to a target quickly. CANSOFCOM Photo

“The training we’re doing here is one of several phases of training,” said Gerald. “When we have a new pilot come to our unit, or a new gunner or flight engineer, there are a variety of phases of training that we take them through to build upon [what] they already have from their conventional aircrew training.”

A large part of 427 SOAS’s skillset is precision lift. “Here we’re doing is what called special operations insert/extract and that involves rappelling,” he explained. “Fast rope, low hover, into a variety of situations – everything from an open field to a building, to potentially various other platforms that could be stationary or moving. That’s the end goal that we are aiming for in terms of precision lift.”

Up to now, these newly assigned pilots have learned the mechanics of the maneuvers as a “dry skill,” flying with an instructor pilot but without live troops. This training was their first opportunity to perform repetitive evolutions with soldiers.

“From a pilot perspective, the ‘live’ versus ‘dry’ is very similar,” said Jared, a captain and one of the newly assigned pilots. “You are working with your crew. You’re listening to the calls being made and you’re reacting accordingly to what you see and what you hear. If someone tells me the troops are going down [the rope], even if it’s simulated, I’m doing the same things either way. So, the training is very relatable.”

The Royal Canadian Air Force is responsible for “building” the squadron—allocating helicopters, personnel and budget; CANSOFCOM is responsible for “employing” the squadron. CANSOFCOM Photo

In most instances, the new personnel have served in other operational squadrons before earning assignment to 427 SOAS. “They come with that foundation,” said Gerald, “and then we have developed over time a series of phases of training that builds additional skills and capabilities on to that foundation. This is one phase in that.”

You get stuff done with a helicopter

“I wanted to be where people were motivated,” Jared explained of his ambitions to be accepted by 427 SOAS. “Even the notice of intent and the application process were rigorous extra steps that I liked. And if others had also gone through that, then they wanted to be there, too. That was really important for me.”

Jared began his journey to becoming a RCAF pilot on the Grob G120 fixed-wing trainer. He was then assigned to 424 Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, a transport and rescue squadron operating the Lockheed CC-130H Hercules aircraft and the CH-146 Griffon. 

While he was not actively flying yet, Jared received valuable insight into both fixed-wing and rotary-wing operations. “424 was a good squadron for me because, at the time, I didn’t know what I wanted to fly,” he said.

His time with 424 Squadron, however, convinced him to fly helicopters. “The requirement to be hands-on, the hands and feet aspect, the low level flying aspect, and the utility of helicopters, the fact you don’t need a runway – you can get a lot of stuff done with a helicopter. That was really appealing to me.”

Jared’s next assignment was 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (CFFTS) at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, for phase two flight training flying the CT156 Harvard II turboprop. He accumulated 90 hours over nine months. Upon successful completion, he was notified he would indeed be assigned to helicopters.  

A cadre of support personnel traveled via wheeled vehicles, driving 2,000 miles from their homebase to support the Texas training. CANSOFCOM Photo

His third phase of training was initial helicopter training at 3 CFFTS near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. There, he was introduced to the Bell CH-139, (the Canadian military designation for the civil Bell 206B-3). Upon completing 60 hours in the airframe, he transitioned to the twin-engine Bell 412 Outlaw, a retired Griffon designated as a training aircraft. 

Upon completion, Jared earned his RCAF wings and then began the assessments and application for 427 SOAS. He knew competition could be stiff and acceptance would depend on his skills and temperament, the availability of positions, and the overall needs of the RCAF. 

“You have to apply to come to CANSOFCOM and there’s a certain amount of screening [to determine]  whether you are suitable,” Patrick explained. “Ideally, we would like a lot more experienced pilots, but that’s simply not where they come from. So, we will get newly winged grads and, as we go through training with them, their suitability is continuously assessed.”

“Our people are at the core of our success,” added Lavertu. “They are specifically selected, trained and equipped. Our skilled airmen and airwomen train extensively, realistically and insatiably in order to achieve the required end state. The selection process is designed to identify the individuals who have the motivation, traits, attributes, and qualities to pass training and survive operations in harsh environments. 

“They must first be qualified on an aircraft through the completion of the Tactical Aviation First Officer course for CH-146 Griffon pilots, for example. Then, they must complete SOTAC (Special Operation Tactical Aviation Course), which runs for approximately four months and gives those crew members all the training required to become competent SOF aviator. It is a challenging but very rewarding career path.” 

In the summer of 2019, Jared earned his place with 427 SOAS. Initially, he wasn’t qualified for operational flying, but he made the most of the opportunity, working around the squadron and learning as much as he could. He was, however, able to fly utility missions, teamed up with some of the squadron’s more experienced pilots.

“I learned a lot working with some of the really experienced guys. It was the maintenance test pilots that needed a first officer just to accompany them on maintenance flights,” he said. “You learn things that are well over your head. They kept me busy flying as a utility first officer while I waited for my tactical courses to come up. 

“That was a really big benefit of being at 427 – the experience and the motivation around the squadron leads to a higher serviceability rate, which leads to being able to produce more faster. So, I got my utility first officer category within two weeks of being at the squadron.” 

Jared’s tactical training was somewhat hijacked by the Covid-19 pandemic, which slowed all RCAF pilot training. Once back on track, however, he worked through the ground school and flight training syllabus, becoming increasingly comfortable flying at lower altitudes, higher speeds and with night vision goggles. 

We do things faster

After his successful training in Texas, Jared became eligible for deployment as a mission pilot. “In my mind, that’s an incredible step. It’s being in the training system for five-ish years at this point and [realizing] that’s why I’m here, that’s why I joined, to do something to make a difference.”

The extra steps in 427 SOAS’s lengthy assessment and application process were what attracted Jared to the unit. “It meant to me that everybody wanted to be there and had to actively work harder to be there. Sometimes there are instances where people get posted to units [at which] they don’t want to be. At 427 that is one hundred percent not that case. You have to want to be here, so you end up with a better culture and a lot of hard-working people.”

427 SOAS can tactically insert operators, provide casualty evacuation support, or ensure airborne security while ground elements conduct a Direct Action mission. CANSOFCOM Photo

“The people that come here, they understand the requirements and that the operational tempo is high,” said Patrick. “People come here to do [non-routine] things, and that’s for everybody in their life. At a certain point, you want things to be more predictable. One of the most common questions I get is, ‘hey, what’s a typical day like?’ Hmmm, I haven’t had one yet. It’s exciting but it can be exhausting after a while.

“With the type of people that apply and are selected, the responsibilities that everyone has, makes an enormous difference in the capabilities that the unit’s able to output. We do things faster and really push the capabilities of the equipment we have,” he emphasized.

427 SOAS is always looking ahead, constantly evaluating new tactics and hardware to further improve their capabilities. At present, they are working toward enhancing their airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability with the introduction of three missionized King Air 350ER fixed-wing platforms, scheduled to enter service sometime in 2023. 

“427 SOAS is a critical element to CANSOFCOM success,” said Lavertu. “I am extremely proud of our outstanding special operations aviators, and I’m reminded daily how lucky Canada is to have such excellent men and women ready to defend our country.” 

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