Colonel Phillip Rennison, CD
Colonel Phillip Rennison was a Royal Canadian Air Cadet who received his glider and private pilot licences through the scholarship program and was presented with a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. In the civil sector, he went on to attain commercial and airline transport pilot licences, holding several positions in the civil aviation sector such a Chief Pilot, Chief Flying Instructor and Line Indoctrination Pilot.
In 1997, Col Rennison sought a more adventurous flying career in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). He attained military flying wings in 1999, receiving the distinguished Golden Centennaire Award. He was selected to fly the CF-18 Hornet and completed a four-year tour at 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bagotville, Quebec, with a primary role under Op NOBLE EAGLE. In 2005, he was selected for an exchange flying position with the Royal Air Force, serving four years primarily with 14 Squadron based in Lossiemouth, Scotland. He supported two operational tours in the Middle East flying the Gr-4 Tornado under Op TELIC.
In 2009, Col Rennison was assigned to the CF-18 Weapon System Manager Detachment in Mirabel, Quebec as a software liaison officer and maintenance test pilot. In this capacity, he assisted fielding new weapons to support Op MOBILE. Following his tour as Detachment Commander, he was assigned as Officer Commanding Contracted Air Training Service - Standards and Evaluation Team (OC CATS SET). Embedded within 414 (Electronic Warfare) Squadron, he piloted the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. In 2015, he served as an exchange officer with the United States Air Force as Deputy Director Combat Operations at the 609th Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), in Qatar, under Op INHERENT RESOLVE.
In 2016, Col Rennison was assigned to the Canadian Joint Operations Command, as Joint Training Authority Manager; later, Director of Joint Training and Lessons Learned Advisor. In 2018, he was assigned to the RCAF Air Staff under the Chief of Fighter Capability as a Project Director and Gender Advisor. In 2020, he was assigned as the Commanding Officer for 3 Operations Support Squadron and resumed the role of OC CATS SET. He deployed to Greenland under Op NOBLE DEFENDER as Air Task Force Commander. In 2022, he was selected as the Senior Staff Officer – Air, at Canadian Special Operations Force Command. In 2023, he returned to the 609th CAOC as Director Combat Operations; later, Battle Director - under four concurrent named operations. In 2024, he returned to the RCAF Air Staff under the Chief of Fighter and NORAD Capability as the Director Fighter Capability and Transition.
Col Rennison is a graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Programme at the Canadian Forces College and holds a Bachelor of Military Arts and Science degree from the Royal Military College of Canada. He has over 6,000 hours of flying time, of which 2,500 hours is in military fast jet aircraft. His interests include volunteer governance support to various organizations including the Air Cadet League of Canada, currently serving as the Aviation Director for the Eastern region. Col Rennison is married to Dr. Kim Reid (Capt, retd) and together they have two daughters.
Col Rennison is incredibly grateful for this opportunity to return to 3 Wing where his fighter career began. Every day he looks forward to serving with and supporting the dedicated, professional war fighters of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville.
