4  WING COLD LAKE, AB – Aircrews from Canada’s  allies and partners will fly alongside the Royal Canadian Air Force in Exercise Maple Flag 46. This  large-scale, international air combat exercise is hosted annually at 4 Wing  Cold Lake, and will take place this year from  May 27 to June 21.

“Exercises such as Maple Flag make  an enormous contribution to improving the interoperability between the Royal  Canadian Air Force and the armed forces of partner nations,” said the  Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. “This major exercise contributes  to the high level of coordination and cooperation between Canada and her allies, and ensures  our combined readiness to respond to the evolving security environment.”

Exercise Maple  Flag is one of the largest and most advanced air combat exercises in the  world, and is just one of the ways the Royal Canadian Air Force contributes to increasing  military interoperability between Canada and her allies and partners.  It was developed to enhance the survivability and improve the performance of  junior Canadian and allied aircrews by providing them with their first 10  combat missions in a structured, academic setting. For the first time, Maple Flag will also be integrated into JointEx 13, a Canadian Armed Forces  exercise that changes how we fight, develop, and train the future force.

“This exercise is essential  to maintaining the operational readiness of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and  augments our ability to implement joint capabilities within the Canadian Armed  Forces,” said Lieutenant-General Yvan Blondin, Commander of the Royal Canadian  Air Force. “It gives us the opportunity to train in a combined and joint  setting, while implementing lessons we have learned from recent operations  overseas, such as Afghanistan  and Libya.”

Canadian Armed Forces units  from across Canada will take  part in this year’s Maple Flag 46,  along with forces from Belgium,  Colombia, Germany, the Netherlands,  the Republic of Singapore,  the United States, and the United Kingdom.  In addition, nations participating in an observer  capacity include Chile, India, Oman,  Peru, South Africa, South   Korea, and Ukraine.

During exercise Maple Flag 46, participants will use the  Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.  The range covers 1.17 million hectares (11 600 square kilometres), and is the  only tactical bombing range in Canada.  The vast, unrestricted airspace, with no civilian air traffic and more than 640  targets, makes it an attractive training area for allied air forces.

“Exercise Maple Flag 46 provides a valuable  training opportunity for us and our training partners,” said Colonel  Patrice Laroche, Commander of 4 Wing Cold Lake. “The Cold Lake Air Weapons   Range provides excellent  airspace and modernized training facilities that will give our aircrews and  those of our participating allies an outstanding and realistic training  experience.”

During the four-week exercise, 4  Wing, the city of Cold Lake, and surrounding communities will see an  influx of more than 1100 Canadian and international military personnel, and  more than 30 additional aircraft. On Saturday, June 15, 4 Wing Cold Lake will host  the Maple Flag open house, giving the  local community and public a chance to meet members of the participating  nations, and observe the various aircraft involved in the exercise.

Participating Nations

• Canada
• Belgium
• Colombia
• Germany
• the Netherlands
• Republic of Singapore
• United States of America
• United Kingdom

Nations Participating under the International Observer Program (IOP)

• Chile
• India
• Oman
• Peru
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Ukraine