Search and rescue aircrews and aircraft

The Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) responsibilities for search and rescue (SAR) are led by the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) and managed by three distinct Joint Rescue Coordination Centres, or JRCCs. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is responsible for ensuring that SAR aircrews and aircraft are ready to respond to a SAR incident. Once a SAR operation is activated that requires aeronautical support, these aircrews and aircraft report to their respective JRCC throughout the mission.

Dedicated SAR aircrews

SAR aircrews are composed of diverse RCAF aircrew occupations, including Pilots, Air Combat System Officers, Flight Engineers, Loadmasters, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators, and SAR Technicians (SAR Techs), all of whom contribute to mission success.

SAR Techs are highly trained specialists who provide advanced pre-hospital medical care and rescue for aviators, mariners and others in distress in remote or hard-to-reach areas. They are trained to a primary-care paramedic national standard with additional advanced skills. SAR Techs are land and sea survival experts who specialize in rescue techniques, including Arctic rescue, parachuting, diving, mountain climbing and helicopter rescue.

Dedicated SAR aircraft

All RCAF aircraft have a secondary duty to support SAR operations when needed. The fleets with dedicated SAR aircraft are:

• The CH-149 Cormorant is a long-range helicopter dedicated to SAR. It can operate in severe conditions, making it ideal for Canada’s challenging geography and climate. The Cormorant can carry up to three stretchers in the SAR configuration (12 stretchers in the casualty evacuation [CASEVAC] configuration), or a load of 5,000 kilograms. Its advanced systems provide a stable hover for critical hoisting operations. It has helped rescue mountain climbers, lost hikers, ship crews and more.
• The CC-295 Kingfisher is specifically designed to perform SAR missions across Canada. The aircraft is equipped with integrated sensors that allow crews to locate persons or objects from more than 40 kilometres away, even in low-light conditions.
• The CC-130H Hercules is primarily used for SAR operations. It has a range of more than 7200 kilometres and can transport approximately 80 passengers, operate on short unpaved runways and fly in severe weather conditions. These capabilities make the CC-130H an excellent aircraft for SAR operations over the vast span of Canada’s central and northern regions.
• The CH-146 Griffon can be fitted with a variety of equipment, including a powerful searchlight and a hoist to extract people and cargo from almost any terrain.
• The CC-130J Hercules is a tactical airlifter used for a wide range of missions, including troop transport, tactical airlift, SAR, and aircrew training. It can land and airdrop heavy loads of equipment, supplies and personnel into hostile environments. The J-model Hercules can operate from unpaved airstrips in active operations and carry up to 92 fully equipped paratroopers or 128 passengers.