While “weather, weather, weather” may have had its effects on Exercise Cutlass Fury, international air force partners made the most of a 15-day maritime flying and sub-hunting opportunity.
14 Wing Greenwood hosted the long range patrol air component of Cutlass Fury September 7 to 22, as German, French and British aircraft joined Maritime Forces Atlantic and international naval participants in a series of joint exercise and simulated missions off Canada’s east coast. 14 Operations Support Squadron long range patrol operations flight commander Major Don McLellan coordinated logistics of, “effectively, a wing effort to get this done.
“This is a fleet effort – 404, 405, 415 and 407 squadrons, with about 60 of our flying personnel and far more than that in technical and logistics support.” McLellan said. “Cutlass fury for us represents about two months’ work and, as the serials ramp up, more.”
Cutlass Fury included 1,400 participating sailors, soldiers and aviators from the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force (British Air Force), Deutsche Marine (German Navy), and Marine Nationale (French Navy); operating from eight ships and multiple classes and types of aircraft. The bi-annual exercise is an opportunity for allied forces to train in a joint maritime environment, covering naval, sub-surface and air defence; air-to-air combat and amphibious landings.
Week one of the exercise included basic flying mission scenarios, with week two incorporating more complex situations and tie-ins with naval response.
“By the end, the idea is the Navy will be sailing, they’ll get ‘attacked’ or be looking to attack, and we’ll be there to help hunt and prosecute targets,” McLellan said.
Over two days, navy members from Halifax travelled to Greenwood for an airfield and hangar tour and familiarization flights as air assets conducted exercise missions.
“This is an opportunity for them to see a mission from our perspective. They’d typically be guiding us from the surface.”
Alongside all of it, 14 Wing’s flight simulators ran missions for participating aircrews, tying in their virtual scenarios with Halifax naval simulators, assets at sea and in the air.
The exercise did shift on several occasions: the German aircraft was struck by lightning on its travel to Greenwood and had to return home. The French arrived September 7, but, due to unforeseen circumstances, were only able to fly September 19. The British were watching the incoming Hurricane Lee for their scheduled arrival September 14, concerned about scheduled missions as Lee edged closer to Atlantic Canada. They were able to sneak in prior to the storm making landfall, and were able to attend the wing’s September 17 83rd Battle of Britain ceremony. The French departed Greenwood September 19, followed by the British September 20, officially ending 14 Wing’s participation in Cutlass Fury ‘23.
Sailor 1st Class J. Morris, 14 Wing Imaging
