[MilCom] Exercise Maple Flag 42 May 18-June 12, 2009 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta

[Rob Berezowski]

More than 4500 local and visiting Canadian and International military 
personnel are preparing for Exercise Maple Flag 42, to take place in Cold 
Lake, Alberta from May 18 to June 12, 2009. 

The exercise is divided into two periods, with Period One May 18-29, and 
Period Two June 1-12. During each period Allied forces from Canada, 
Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Singapore, the United 
States, Great Britain, Australia and the NATO AWACS unit will engage in a 
simulated air and ground campaign using the vast, unrestricted airspace of 
Cold Lake and its Air Weapons Range as well as the Wainwright training 
area for ground operations.

Period one will focus on Para deployments from US Marines Corps and Royal 
Netherlands Air Force Hercules C130 J/H aircraft in support of Exercise 
SPARTAN PEGASUS Para Assault carried out by A Company, 3 PPCLI on a Drop 
Zone in the Wainwright Training Area. Staging and Embarkation will be from 
4 Wing Cold Lake. The assault force will include Royal Netherlands Air 
Defence Forces and German Forces. As well, period one will include other 
transport and refuelling missions.

During period two, "Blue Air" Allied Forces from Canada, Germany, New 
Zealand, Republic of Singapore, the United States, Great Britain, and NATO 
Airborne Warning and Control System will engage in a simulated air 
campaign using the vast, unrestricted airspace and more than 640 targets 
of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range. Participants will confront air and 
ground based threats against "Red Air" Opposing Forces from 64th USAF 
Aggressor Squadron and the Top Aces.

The USAF RQ-4 Global Hawk will be participating for the first time at 
Maple Flag. This long endurance, high altitude unmanned surveillance 
aircraft will stage from its home base in California. The Australian E-7A 
Wedgetail AWACS aircraft will also be participating in the exercise. The 
E-7A AWACS is based on the 737 airframe. 
As part of the Canadian Forces International Observes Program, MF 42 will 
host observers from Chile, Egypt, India, Oman, Poland, Singapore; South 
Africa, United Arab Emirates; and Ukraine.
Working together planning combat missions and flying these missions in 
concert with aircraft from other nations fosters and strengthens the 
professional bonds forged between allied nations. The exercise will 
provide important training for Canadian and allied fighter aircrews, as 
well as transport, electronic warfare, air refueling, air defence, special 
forces and airborne early warning and control assets from many different 
nations.

Official news releases on these exercises can be viewed at:

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/4w-4e/nr-sp/index-eng.asp?id=8469
http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/4w-4e/nr-sp/index-eng.asp?id=8463

As for monitoring aircraft movement in and out of Cold Lake, traditionally 
a lot of aircraft have moved on "transition Saturdays". Therefore, expect 
to see a lot of international and overseas movements to/from Cold Lake May 
15 and 16, May 29 and 30, and June 12-13. 

Regards,

Rob
Regina, Saskatchewan




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