Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/111458
The ArcTic is evolving. Changes in climate, technology, and demand for natural resources are seeing more and more people travel to, and work in, the North. This is unquestionably an economic boon, but it also likely means Canada will face renewed challenges to our territorial claims. sserting sovereignty, however, is about more than waving flags or flexing muscles. It's about making sure that the government is able to provide a similar standard of core services to Canadians in all parts of the country, even the most remote. Indeed, the Prime Minister made this point during his recent Arctic tour, where he emphasized the need for greater research and search and rescue capabilities in the North. For Search and Rescue (SAR), that's currently not the case. Winnipeg, the nearest SAR base to the North Pole, is 2400 NM away. Even for SAR missions in comparatively nearer parts of the Arctic, it takes a C-130 from Winnipeg more than three hours flying-time to reach Yellowknife, even longer when factoring in time to actually get in the air. The best way of cutting this response time is to reduce the distance planes need to fly. And the easiest way of doing that is to create a dedicated fixedwing SAR presence in the North. Higher aircraft speed may save minutes, but cutting transit distance saves hours, and those hours can be the difference between life and death in this oft times hostile environment. The next best way to cut response time is to increase the effectiveness of search through proven modern technologies – which today are available off the shelf at reasonable cost. The Arctic may be changing, but the expectations of Canadians are not. When in distress, particularly in some of the most remote places in the world, they expect reliable and prompt search and rescue services. Providing that level of service saves lives while reminding the world that the Arctic belongs to Canada. Airbus Military's C295 is proven, reliable, and low-risk SAR. Based in the north, it offers unmatched cost and search effectiveness. Sponsored by