437 Transport Squadron is a unit of the

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

under the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) 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 environmental commands within the unified Can ...

, based at

CFB Trenton Canadian Forces Base Trenton (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. The unit operates the CC-150 Polaris, the CC-330 Husky, and is responsible for long range military and VIP transportation (including for the Royal Family visiting Canada).

History

437 Squadron was formed at RAF Blakehill Farm in Wiltshire, England in September 1944 as a unit of the

, and provided general transport until it was disbanded in June 1946. During this time the squadron flew Douglas Dakota (Mk.III and IV) aircraft. The Squadron saw active duty in glider towing and airdrops in the Battle of Arnhem (Operation Market Garden) and in the Crossing of the Rhine (Operation Varsity). Details, including a list of wartime personnel, can be found with this reference The squadron was reformed at

in 1961 and equipped with CC-106 Yukon. It was re-equipped with the Boeing CC-137 (Boeing 707) in 1972. While operating the Husky it provided Air to Air Refueling in addition to transport services. Two aircraft out of the fleet of five were modified to serve as refueling tankers in mid 1972 to meet a requirement to support the CF-5 tactical fighter. At the end of the useful life of the B707 in 1997, 437 Squadron was equipped with Airbus A-310 aircraft which are in use still to this day in both the VIP transport and air-to-air refuelling roles. In 2022, the government of Canada announced its plans to replace the CC-150 with the Airbus CC-330 Husky, an

RCAF The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) 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 environmental commands within the unified Canad ...

version of the

Airbus A330 MRTT The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refueling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 15 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 82 aircraft, of which 64 had ...

, for strategic transport and air refuelling roles. In 2023, the order was increased to nine CC-330’s with the first being delivered and configured to use as the primary VIP Transport aircraft of the 427 squadron, when transporting the

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada () is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons ...

, the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

, and the

Monarchy of Canada The monarchy of Canada is Canada's Government#Forms, form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canadian federalism, Canada's cons ...

Operations

437 Transport Squadron frequently supports government dignitaries while on official visits, including the

and

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

King of Canada The monarchy of Canada is Canada's Government#Forms, form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canadian federalism, Canada's cons ...

during Royal tours of Canada. In June and July 2011 the squadron provided transportation for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they toured Canada and the United States. The squadron currently operates the CC-150 Polaris, a modified version of the

Airbus A310 The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, Aircraft design process, designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie GIE, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers. Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the Airbus ...

, along with the newly acquired CC-330 Husky, which is a modified

. Three CC-150’s, and one CC-330 are configured for personnel and material transport, while the rest are configured into the

aerial refueling Aerial refueling ( en-us), or aerial refuelling ( en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to an ...

role. Two CC-150 air-to-air refueling tankers were deployed to support Operation MOBILE during the

2011 military intervention in Libya On 19 March 2011, a NATO-led coalition began a military intervention into the ongoing Libyan civil war (2011), Libyan Civil War to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (UNSCR 1973). The UN Security Council passed the reso ...

. Canadian CF-188 fighter jets that enforce the no-fly zone over Libya under

Operation Odyssey Dawn Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the American role in the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 during the initial period of 19–31 March 2011, which continued aft ...

and

Operation Unified Protector Operation Unified Protector was a NATO operation in 2011 enforcing United Nations United Nations Security Council, Security Council United Nations Security Council resolution, resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970, 1970 and ...

were refueled by 437 Sqn."Update on CF Operations in Libya"
Canadian Forces website, 22 March 2011

References

External links

{{RCAF Squadrons Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons Canadian Forces aircraft squadrons Air transport of heads of state Air force transport units and formations