, colors = Blue, green, yellow, and silver , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , anniversaries = 1 June 1952 , decorations = , battle_honours = , disbanded = , website = , commander1 = Major-General Eric Kenny , notable_commanders = , identification_symbol = , identification_symbol_label = , identification_symbol_2 = , identification_symbol_2_label = , identification_symbol_3 = Roundel of Canada

, identification_symbol_3_label =

Roundel A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of dif ...

, identification_symbol_4 = Flag of Canada

, identification_symbol_4_label =

Fin flash Military aircraft insignia are insignia applied to military aircraft to identify the nation or branch of military service to which the aircraft belong. Many insignia are in the form of a circular roundel or modified roundel; other shapes such as ...

, identification_symbol_5 = , identification_symbol_5_label = , aircraft_attack = , aircraft_bomber = , aircraft_electronic = , aircraft_fighter = CF-188 Hornet , aircraft_helicopter = CH-124 Sea King, CH-139 JetRanger,

CH-146 Griffon The Bell CH-146 Griffon is a multi-role utility helicopter designed by Bell Helicopter Textron as a variant of the Bell 412EP for the Canadian Armed Forces. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaiss ...

, CH-147 Chinook,

CH-148 Cyclone The Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone is a twin-engine, multi-role shipboard helicopter developed by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the Canadian Armed Forces. A military variant of the Sikorsky S-92, the CH-148 is designed for shipboard operations ...

CH-149 Cormorant The AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant is the Canadian Forces designation for the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly EH101), a helicopter used for air-sea rescue in Canada. Developed as a joint venture between Westland Aircraft in the UK and Agusta ...

, aircraft_helicopter_attack = , aircraft_helicopter_cargo = , aircraft_helicopter_multirole = , aircraft_helicopter_observation = , aircraft_helicopter_transport = , aircraft_helicopter_utility = , aircraft_interceptor = , aircraft_patrol = CP-140 Aurora, CP-140A Arcturus , aircraft_recon = CU-170 Heron , aircraft_trainer =

CT-114 Tutor The Canadair CT-114 Tutor (company model CL-41) was the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and later Canadian Forces, standard jet trainer between the early 1960s and 2000. It was designed and produced by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Canadair ...

, CT-142 Dash-8, CT-155 Hawk,

CT-156 Harvard II The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company (Textron Aviation since 2014). A trainer aircraft based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 has replaced the United States Air Force's Cessna T-3 ...

, aircraft_transport =

CC-115 Buffalo The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility transport turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou. The aircraft has extraordinary STOL performance and is able to take off i ...

CC-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...

, CC-130J Super Hercules,

CC-138 Twin Otter The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restarted ...

, CC-144 Challenger,

CC-150 Polaris The Airbus CC-150 Polaris is the designation for the civilian Airbus A310-300s which have been converted into multi-purpose, long-range jet aircraft for passenger, freight or medical transport and mid-air refueling for the Royal Canadian Air ...

, CC-177 Globemaster 1 Canadian Air Division (1 Cdn Air Div) (french: link=no, 1^re Division aérienne du Canada) is the operational-level command and control formation of the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

(RCAF). Prior to 2006 the official abbreviation for the division was 1 CAD. It is commanded by an air force major-general.

History

Timeline

* 1952: ''No. 1 Air Division (RCAF)'' activated, with 4 wings. Equipped with the

Canadair Sabre The Canadair Sabre is a jet fighter aircraft built by Canadair under licence from North American Aviation. A variant of the North American F-86 Sabre, it was produced until 1958 and used primarily by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) unt ...

, in 1956 the

CF-100 The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (affectionately known as the "Clunk") is a Canadian twinjet interceptor/ fighter designed and produced by aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada. It has the distinction of being the only Canadian-designed fighter to en ...

and in 1962 the

CF-104 The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (CF-111, CL-90) is a modified version of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic fighter aircraft built in Canada by Canadair under licence. It was primarily used as a ground attack aircraft, despite being des ...

. * 1967: ''No. 1 Canadian Air Group'' (1 CAG) takes the place ''No. 1 Air Division (RCAF)'' after RCAF leaves France. * 1968: The unified

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

is created and ''No. 1 Canadian Air Group'' is reduced to 1 Wing and 4 Wing. * 1969: ''No. 1 Canadian Air Group'' is reduced to 4 Wing. * 1970: 4 Wing becomes ''1 Canadian Air Group'' (CAG). Equipped with CF-5 in 1970 and CF-18 in 1982. * 1988: ''1 Canadian Air Group'' is reorganized as ''No. 1 Canadian Air Division'' * 1993: As the

prepares to close their European bases, ''No. 1 Canadian Air Division'' stands down. * 1997: ''1 Canadian Air Division'' is reactivated in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

Formation (1952–1967)

The division traces its origins to the activation of Headquarters No. 1 Air Division, Royal Canadian Air Force in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, France, on 1 October 1952. Air Division headquarters relocated to

Metz Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand ...

, France in April 1953. No. 1 Air Division was established to meet Canada's NATO air defence commitments in Europe. It consisted of four wings of twelve fighter squadrons located at four bases. Two bases were located in France (

RCAF Station Marville RCAF Station Marville (also known as 1(F) Wing or 1 Wing) was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station located near Marville in the Meuse department, Lorraine, northeastern France. It was one of four RCAF wings consisting of three fighter squadr ...

(No. 1 Wing) and

RCAF Station Grostenquin RCAF Station Grostenquin, also known as 2 (Fighter) Wing or 2 Wing, was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station located five km north of the town of Grostenquin in the Moselle department, Lorraine, northeastern France. It was one of four RCAF w ...

(No. 2 Wing)) and two were located in

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...

( RCAF Station Zweibrücken (No. 3 Wing) and

RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environme ...

(No. 4 Wing)). (No. 1 Wing was first located at RCAF North Luffenham, England and was moved to Marville some time after October, 1954). These wings were part of a group of bases which also included U.S. and French installations, all of which came under the jurisdiction of NATO's Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF) which, in turn, was commanded by Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE). Components located in Metz included Air Division Headquarters, an air traffic control centre, a telecommunications centre, a combat operations centre, and a support unit. From 1952 to 1963 the RCAF operated the 30 Air Materiel Base, at RCAF Langar ( RAF Langar) in Nottinghamshire. RCAF Langar was Canada's last base in the U.K. and served as a primary supply station for No. 1 Air Division RCAF in Europe. Canadian squadrons were originally equipped with

day fighters. Flying the Sabre, 1 Canadian Air Division built up to a strength of 12 squadrons flying a total of 300 fighters. Subsequently, the Sabres in one squadron of each wing were replaced by the all-weather

in 1956. The eight remaining Sabre squadrons were replaced by (

nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space *Nuclear ...

) strike/reconnaissance CF-104 Starfighters in 1962 while the four CF-100 squadrons were withdrawn. "In the early 1960s, France assumed a greater role in its own defences and 2 Wing along with its sister wings were again disbanded on August 1, 1964."

Reorganization (1967–1993)

After the RCAF left France in 1967 and after the RCAF was reorganized and consolidated with Canada's other two services, No. 1 Air Division was replaced by ''No. 1 Canadian Air Group'' (1 CAG) with headquarters at

CFB Lahr Canadian Forces Base Lahr (IATA:LHA, ICAO: EDTL, former code EDAN) was a military operated commercial airport located in Lahr, Germany. It was operated primarily as a French air force base, and later as a Canadian army base, beginning in the l ...

, West Germany. The initial eight squadrons flying the CF-104 within 1 Canadian air division were incrementally reduced, first to six and then down to three squadrons, contributing to the reduction from air division to air wing/group strength. This was largely due to a high attrition rate for the CF-104. While a total of 238 single-seat and dual-seat aircraft were built for the RCAF, 113 Canadian aircraft were lost during the 24 year era of the Starfighter and 37 pilots died. As an austerity measure, in 1968, No. ''3 Wing'' Zweibrücken was relocated to Canada (Bagotville) and its two squadrons were moved to No. ''1 Wing'' and ''4 Wing''. 1969 brought the announcement that the amalgamation of the Canadian Forces in Europe to one command and two bases, and that the Canadian army in northern Germany (Soest area) would be moving south to Nos. ''1 Wing'' and ''4 Wing''. This meant that No. 1 Wing Lahr would close its doors and the air force in Europe would be reduced in strength (from 6 to 3 squadrons) and concentrated at Baden-Soellingen; the new name would be ''1 Canadian Air Group'' (CAG). The close out parade was held at Baden in the arena on June 29, 1970. This was the change date from ''4 Wing'' to ''1 CAG''. It was also the disbanding date for two of the squadrons. The Group remained until 1988 when Canada increased its commitment to NATO (three squadrons in theatre and two squadrons in Canada) and ''No. 1 Canadian Air Division'' stood-up again. However, shortly after this, relations with the east started to warm and Canada made another announcement: Canada would withdraw its forces stationed in Europe and close the doors on its two bases by 1994. The Air Division, reduced to three squadrons then to two and finally one, ceased flying operations 1 January 1993. This ended a major era of Canada's Air Force.

Recent history (1997–present)

In the summer of 1997, the functional groups ( Air Transport Group, Fighter Group, Maritime Air Group, Air Reserve Group, and 10 Tactical Air Group) were dissolved, and 14 Training Group was absorbed within Air Command Headquarters. 1 Canadian Air Division was stood up in Winnipeg to exercise operational command of all CF air assets. Today based in

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,60 ...

, the division is also the headquarters for the

Canadian NORAD Region North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protectio ...

(CANR), commands 11 of the RCAF's 13 wings, and oversees the monitoring of Canada's airspace in support of the nation's commitments to the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD). The division is staffed by 600 regular and reserve force members. In addition to military personnel the headquarters is also assisted by civilian personnel in the

Operational Research Operations research ( en-GB, operational research) (U.S. Air Force Specialty Code: Operations Analysis), often shortened to the initialism OR, is a discipline that deals with the development and application of analytical methods to improve decis ...

and Analysis Directorate (ORAD).

Structure

Order of battle, 1989

* ''No. 1 Canadian Air Division'', CFB Baden–Soellingen, in war under Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force ** ''3 Wing''

*** 3 Wing Operations *** 3 Communication and Air Traffic Control Squadron ***

416 Tactical Fighter Squadron 416 "City of Oshawa" Tactical Fighter Squadron (416 TFS) was a unit of the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operated the CF-18 Hornet fighter jet from CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, Canada. In 2006, 416 TFS stood do ...

441 Tactical Fighter Squadron 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron was a unit of the Canadian Forces. It was originally formed as a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War. The squadron operated the McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet fighter jet from CFB ...

from

CFB Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , abbreviated as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base in the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. The facility is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is approximately south of the ...

, CF-18 *** 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron or 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron from CFB Bagotville, 18× CF-18 ** ''4 Wing'' CFB Baden-Söllingen *** 4 Wing Operations *** 4 Communication and Air Traffic Control Squadron *** 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18× CF-18 *** 421 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18× CF-18 *** 439 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18× CF-18 *** Air Reserve Augmentation Flight (Reserve Pilots) *** Training Flight, 5×

CT-133 Silver Star The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) is the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, in service from the 1950s to 2005. The Canadian version was powered by the Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turboj ...

*** 1 Air Maintenance Squadron CFB Baden-Soellingen *** 4 Construction Engineer Squadron, detached from Royal Canadian Engineers ** 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (detached to

4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (4CMBG; french: 4e Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, 4GBMC) was a formation of the Canadian Army, then Mobile Command of the unified Canadian Forces. It was part of the European formation known as Canadia ...

), CFB Lahr ( CH-136 Kiowa, Bell UH-1N Twin Huey) ** Detachment Lahr, 412 Transport Squadron, 2× CC-142 Dash 8 *** 5 Air Movement Unit

Commanders

* Major-General

George Macdonald George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll ...

(1996–1998) * Major-General Lloyd Campbell (1998–2000) * Major-General Steve Lucas (2000–2002) * Major-General Marc Dumais (Jul 2002 - Aug 2004) * Major-General

Charles Bouchard Lieutenant General Joseph Jacques Charles "Charlie" Bouchard (born 1956) is a retired Royal Canadian Air Force general. He has served as Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division / Canadian NORAD Region, the Deputy Commander of North American Ae ...

(Aug 2004 – Jul 2007) * Major-General

Marcel Duval J. Marcel Duval, CMM, CD is a retired Canadian Forces Air Command general. His senior appointments were as the Commander of the 1 Canadian Air Division / Canadian NORAD Region and the Deputy Commander of NORAD. Career Duval was born in Baie- ...

(Jul 2007 – Jul 2009) * Major-General Yvan Blondin (Jul 2009 – Jul 2011) * Major-General

Alain Parent Lieutenant General J. Alain J. Parent is a retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, who served as acting Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from May 2017 until his retirement in June 2018. Military career Parent joined the Canadian Forces ...

(Jul 2011 – Jul 2012) * Major-General Pierre St-Amand (Jul 2012 – Jul 2014) * Major-General David Wheeler (Jul 2014 - Jun 2016) * Major-General Christian Drouin (Jun 2016 – May 2019) * Major-General Alain Pelletier (May 2019 - Jul 2020) * Major-General Eric Kenny (Jul 2020 - Jul 2022) * Major-General Iain Huddleston (Jul 2022–present)

References

* Greenhous, Brereton; Halliday, Hugh A. ''Canada's Air Forces, 1914–1999''. Montreal: Editions Art Global and the Department of National Defence, 1999. .

External links

*
Tactical Air Control System NATO Ground Environment Command & Control US Air Force, Europe (usarmygermany.com)
{{Authority control Canadian air divisions Military units and formations established in 1983