Canadian Special Forces have discrete plan to lease cutting-edge surveillance planes.

As reported by David Pugliese in the Ottawa Citizen, Canadian special forces have set in motion a discrete operation to lease state-of-the-art surveillance aircraft. The details of this highly classified project are enveloped in an impenetrable shroud of secrecy, intensifying the intrigue surrounding it. Bids are currently being sought for a high-altitude, long-endurance plane that will play a crucial role in providing indispensable support to the esteemed Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).

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Canadia is buying for its special forces unit 3 surveillance planes capable of intercepting cellphone calls and tracking individuals on the ground. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2023 (Picture source: Canadian DoD)

With the deadline for bids looming on June 12, CANSOFCOM has divulged that the aircraft will serve both training and operational purposes, as confirmed in a statement exclusively obtained by this newspaper. The command emphasized that these supply arrangements are standard practice, allowing quick access to the required assets during emergencies or when they cannot be sourced internally within the Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces.

However, CANSOFCOM has been resolute in withholding key details about the aircraft's operation, raising questions about whether private military contractors or the command's own personnel will assume control. Furthermore, the command has remained tight-lipped regarding the expenditure of taxpayer funds for this ambitious endeavor, leaving the public in suspense about the financial magnitude and duration of the project. It is worth noting that CANSOFCOM has previously relied on the Royal Canadian Air Force's CP-140 surveillance aircraft, which have undergone recent modernization efforts.

It is important to distinguish this aircraft lease initiative from another significant surveillance aircraft procurement plan for special forces. The first batch of these advanced surveillance planes, equipped to intercept cellphone communications and track ground targets, is expected to arrive in 2023. As part of a $247-million program catering to Canadian special forces, three such aircraft are being procured from the United States. When pressed for clarification on the disparity between the leased aircraft and the forthcoming purchases, CANSOFCOM refused to elaborate.

The soon-to-be-acquired aircraft are none other than the Beechcraft King Air models. Stationed at CFB Trenton, Ontario, these King Air planes will be outfitted with cutting-edge sensors and equipment, enabling the interception of electronic transmissions and cellphone communications. Both Canadian special forces and potentially other government departments will harness their capabilities for domestic and overseas missions.

According to National Defence spokesperson Andrew McKelvey, the testing and evaluation phase for these aircraft is nearing completion. McKelvey confirmed, "Based on this latest timeline, the first aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the CAF in late 2023, with the remaining two expected in 2024. The full operational capability is anticipated to be achieved approximately a year after that. Precise deployment plans will be established once the planes are fully operational." Known as the CE145, this remarkable aircraft will grant the Canadian Armed Forces enhanced situational awareness on the ground, empowering CAF leaders to make well-informed decisions crucial to mission success.

The Royal Canadian Air Force pilots will operate the aircraft, with special forces personnel and airborne electronic sensor operators forming the crew. While initial training has already been conducted, the final phase will be completed upon the aircraft's delivery.

The responsibility for in-service support and maintenance of the King Air fleet has been entrusted to a consortium comprising General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada from Ottawa and Voyageur Aviation Corporation from North Bay, Ontario. This decision was made by Public Services and Procurement Canada, acting on behalf of the Department of National Defence.