By David C Isby
Feature
Canada will rejoin the multinational NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force flying E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, the Ottawa government announced in on February 14. The cost of participation will be an estimated CAD 22–25.86 million annually.
The size of the force was reduced to 14 operational aircraft following Canada’s announcement in 2011 of its planned withdrawal from the force because of budgetary concerns.
Canada maintained a cadre of AWACS-qualified personnel since it stopped flying with the NATO force in 2014 by integrating them in US Air Force crews. Canadians may once again fly with the NATO AWACS force in the future, but this is not currently scheduled.
