Canadian Student Aerospace Controllers Complete EADS Training

  • Published
  • By Tim Jones
  • EADS
Rome, NY --  A group of Royal Canadian Air Force student aerospace controllers have spent the last three weeks at the Eastern Air Defense Sector putting their previous eight months' training into practice.

The students were from the Weapons Controller Course 13-02, which is administered by the RCAF's 51 Aerospace Control and Warning Operational Training Squadron. The course prepares students to become weapons controllers at tactical control squadrons and air defense sectors in Canada and the U.S., onboard controllers on E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) flights, and maritime fighter controllers. The course is held twice a year and the students are newly commissioned officers or officers who are changing career fields and need to be re-trained.

Most of the students started their basic course at the School of Aerospace Control Operators in Cornwall, Ont. in January, said Capt. Joey Baker, the Canadian Officer in Charge of the training detachment at EADS. After completion of that five-month course, the group then reported to 51 Squadron, where it has undergone four months of weapons controller upgrade training.

Most of the course is conducted at 51 Squadron's home base in North Bay, Ont. Near the end of each course, the class travels to one of the U.S. air defense sectors to practice the tactics, techniques and procedures they have been trained on. The U.S. sector training sessions also serve to introduce the controllers to the U.S. side of NORAD operations.

The 13-02 class was split between the two U.S. sectors, with three students going to the Western Air Defense Sector at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington and three to EADS. While at EADS, each student completed more than 15 live and simulated, multi-aircraft training missions.

The Sector training provides invaluable experience for the new controllers. "EADS can facilitate complex training missions and this is crucial to the students' tactical development," said Maj. Chris Horner, the Commander of 51 Squadron. "Training at EADS also allows our young controllers to get a sense of the sustained, rapid operational tempo at NORAD's busiest air defense sector."

An additional advantage of the three-week session is that it enables the Sectors to have a hand in training some of their future staff members. "This training helps us play a role in molding the aerospace controllers who will soon be assigned to one of the air defense sectors," said LCol Kyle Paul, the Commanding Officer of EADS Canadian Detachment. "It's beneficial for the students and the organization as a whole."

"The training support EADS provides for the controller course is an investment in the future," said Col. Dawne Deskins, EADS Commander. "It is in our best interest to have all our controllers as well-trained as possible and exposing them to Sector operations early in their careers is one way to accomplish that."

The students finished their training at EADS on Sept. 20. The group will return to North Bay, where they will graduate on Sept. 27 and then be assigned to their new units.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector is headquartered at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen and a Canadian Forces detachment, the unit supports the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) homeland defense mission. EADS is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the eastern United States and directs a variety of assets to defend one million square miles of land and sea.