Canada will add a second base to host air-to-air refuelling aircraft as part of the country’s ongoing acquisition of nine Airbus A330-based Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) jets.
Ottawa on 12 November said it is making progress in negotiations with the Edmonton International airport in Alberta province to host half of the planned tanker fleet, which is locally designated the CC-330 Husky.
Known as the Western Main Operating Base (MOB-West), the site in Edmonton will supplement the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF’s) current tanker operations centre at CFB Trenton in Ontario.
Home to the RCAF’s 8 Wing, Trenton is Ottawa’s military hub for air mobility capability, including Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic lifters and militarised Airbus A310-300s.
Locally designated the CC-150 Polaris, the RCAF operates five of the converted A310 twinjets, with two modified for aerial refuelling duty. The type also conducts VIP transport for Canadian dignitaries, serving as the so-called “Can Force One” jet that transports the prime minister and other senior officials.
Ottawa says the nine CC-330 tankers will be split between Trenton and Edmonton.
“The new MOB-West location is expected to include a hangar, operations, maintenance, logistics/warehousing and training and administrative spaces to support RCAF operations for the CC-330 Husky aircraft,” the defence ministry says.
Ottawa selected the A330-based MRTT as its new tanker platform in 2023 under the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability project, with a C$3.6 billion ($2.7 billion) contract that covers four new-build aircraft and the conversion of five used A330-200s.
At least two of the new tankers have already been delivered to the RCAF.
The new tanker fleet and facilities are part of Canada’s plan to spend nearly $30 billion over the next 20 years on modernising the country’s contribution to the joint Canada-US North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
“The CC-330 Husky will provide the RCAF with increased flexibility to fulfill a variety of air mobility missions in support of operations and training activities within Canada, as part of NORAD, its Arctic region and around the world,” says Lieutenant General Eric Kenny, the RCAF’s top officer.
Defence minister Bill Blair announced the selection of Trenton as the first CC-330 basing location in March, along with a $630 million investment in base facilities, including construction of a new hangar facility, improvements to runways and taxiways and the installation of an upgraded apron.
Ottawa says it will be finalising plans for infrastructure development at Edmonton International in the coming months.
In addition to the new aerial refuelling fleet, Canada’s NORAD modernisation plan includes new over-the-horizon radars for monitoring Arctic airspace and the construction of a quick reaction air base in Quebec for the RCAF’s forthcoming fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighters.
Ottawa separately plans to acquire up to 88 F-35As to replace the RCAF’s ageing fleet of Boeing F/A-18A Hornet interceptors. That deal is valued at $14.2 billion with the RCAF expected to achieve full operational capability on the fleet between 2032 and 2034.
Canada’s other military modernisation efforts include a new fleet of Boeing P-8A maritime patrol jets, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, a new rotorcraft fleet and a yet-to-be-named jet trainer to support the F-35 fleet.
Ottawa says the spending spree represents the most significant upgrade to the country’s defence capabilities in the past four decades.
Despite that, Canada remains a laggard in defence spending within the transatlantic NATO military alliance. The country is now amongst the minority of alliance members not meeting the mutually agreed upon target of a defence budget equivalent to 2% of gross domestic product.
In the latest NATO figures released in June, Canada was well below the 2% target, spending an estimated 1.37% of its GDP equivalent on defence in 2024.
Blair has sought to highlight the ongoing increases to expenditures, rather than the top line figure.
