691 words (not including salutations) 5 minutes @ 120 words per minute
50th anniversary of CH-124 Sea King
Remarks for
Major-General Richard Foster Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force
Halifax, Nova Scotia July 31, 2013
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Salutations as required…
Good morning (afternoon) / Bonjour ...
On behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lieutenant-General Yvan Blondin who could not be with us today, and the men of women of the RCAF, it gives me great pleasure to bring you greetings today on this very important, very exciting, day in Canadian Armed Forces and RCAF history....and to congratulate the organizers of this magnificent event.
What a day for the air force. What a day for Canada. What a day for the maritime helicopter community.
Quelle journée pour la Force aérienne, pour le Canada et pour la communauté des hélicoptères maritimes.
Since 1963, when the Sea King first entered service as a navy helicopter conducting anti-submarine warfare, the Royal Canadian Navy had a little over 21,000 personnel … while the RCAF had more than twice that at 52,000 … and the unification that would bring our three services together was still five years away.
Since then, the Sea King helicopter has proven to be a versatile, interoperable surveillance aircraft capable of 24/7, day and night operations, anywhere, anytime they are needed. 3/6
A few examples? • • • • • • • • • •
Cold War sub-hunting The first Gulf War Peacekeeping in Somalia and East Timor Embargo operations including those against Iraq following the Gulf War and against the former Yugoslavia Drug interdictions and anti-piracy on the high seas Post 9/11 operations in the Arabian Gulf Humanitarian relief in Haiti The Winnipeg floods The Swissair crash Even search and rescue, when and as required.
Even today, Sea King helicopters are serving in the Eastern Pacific on Operation Caribbe and in the Arabian Sea on Operation Artemis.
Encore aujourd’hui, les hélicoptères Sea King sont en service dans la région du Pacifique Est, dans le cadre de l’opération Caribbe, et dans la mer d’Oman, dans le cadre de l’opération Artemis.
Although they make it look easy, the Canadian Armed Forces operates Sea King helicopters in some of the harshest , most unforgiving environments in the world - off the back of small ships in some of the roughest oceans a long way from any supplies....all by working alongside our navy brothers and sisters in a seamless, joint operating environment.
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Interoperability is the cornerstone of success in operations these days so we must continue to practice and perfect our ability to deploy together, with the “one team, one fight” mentality that has brought us to where we are today ... and the maritime helicopter community is a perfect example of how to do it right.
Breakthroughs in technology have helped us achieve this interoperability and allowed us to improve the capabilities of the Sea King that we never could have imagined in 1963 ...
…Forward looking infrared… …Night vision capability… …And upgrades to various operating systems and engines within the airframe ...
… All of this has enabled this platform and its crews to continue to provide robust, relevant, highly capable and world-class contributions to maritime operations here at home and around the world.
In short, the CH-124 Sea King helicopter has earned its place in Canadian history after 50 years by remaining airworthy.
En bref, l’hélicoptère CH124 Sea King a mérité sa place dans l’histoire du Canada, lui qui est resté 50 ans en état de navigabilité. This airworthiness is due to the professionalism and dedication to the principles of flight safety at all times through an extensive preventative maintenance programme, incorporation of performance and safety 5/6
modifications within the past decade and the full support, confidence and guidance of leaders at every level and every headquarters here in Halifax and in Ottawa and Winnipeg.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to members of the Sea King community, past and present, who have flown, maintained and supported this platform in support of Canada’s interests here at home and around the world…aircrew, ground crew, logisticians, support personnel, supply chain managers, commanders, staff officers and civilians who have kept this venerable helicopter in service to Canada for five decades.
(applause)
Ladies and gentlemen, let me end by sharing with you that we have a rule in the Canadian Armed Forces that says members have to retire by age 60…so as we await the arrival of our new maritime helicopter, the Cyclone, the newest member of the RCAF maritime helicopter community – with all the due processes in place to ensure that arrival – I can assure you that we, in the RCAF, certainly hope to give this beloved aircraft, the Sea King, the rest and retirement she deserves before her CRA.
Thank you, merci.
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