Growing Skills: Canadian and Dutch air force partnership

May 14 2025 - Defence Stories

Emily Lindahl, RCAF Public Affairs

The relationship between the Canadian and Dutch militaries has been strong since World War II, and joint training opportunities make it even stronger. In February 2025, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) welcomed members of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) as part of its International Training Program. Five participants (four students and one instructor) took part in the RCAF's Aeromedical Evacuation Training session.

RCAF programmes give leading-edge training in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment with a focus on cooperative partnerships and international team building. State-of-the-art facilities, courseware and aircraft ensure the participants are completely prepared to operate with confidence in today's highly technological and complex tactical environments.

The Canadian Forces (CF) Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) course prepares qualified medical personnel to perform the duties and responsibilities of an Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Member (AECM) during peacetime/conflict operations and national/international emergencies. These duties/responsibilities will be performed onboard fixed wing aircraft during strategic and tactical AE missions. Among the international partners who have participated in this course are the United States of America, the Republic of Singapore, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Brazil, and Belgium. The Netherlands has been a training partner since the early 1990's.

The Dutch contingent took part in online, classroom, and in-flight training over the course of several weeks at 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario. The collaboration was strengthened by including RNLAF instructor, which was last done in 2017. The RNLAF instructor, Sgt 1 Ard Leenderts, appreciated the chance to teach in a new environment. "For our AE unit, it is very valuable to take the knowledge and experiences gained back to the Netherlands. The course is well put together and given by an experienced and professional instruction team. It is therefore an honour to be part of this."

Captain Brigitte van den Broek summed up her team's RCAF training experience, stating that "participating in the RCAF Aeromedical Evacuation training course has been an invaluable experience. The workload is high, but the structured build-up allows for a steady and effective learning process, making it both demanding and rewarding." Capt van den Broek also shared that the Dutch team has "gained crucial insights into patient care in complex operational environments and strengthened our ability to work effectively in a multinational setting. The professionalism and expertise of the RCAF and RNLAF instructors made this a truly valuable learning opportunity. This training not only enhances our individual skills but also contributes to improving aeromedical evacuation capabilities within the RNLAF. We look forward to applying these lessons and continuing our cooperation with the RCAF in the future."

According to Major Patrick Rodrigue, Flight Commander, Aeromedical Evacuation Training Flight, working with Canada's international partners is a win for everyone involved. "Collaborating with our international partners fosters interoperability, sustainable partnerships, and exchange of knowledge and skills in order to meet the challenges of current and future national and international objectives."

"Our two nations are doing great work together in the AE niche," said Lieutenant Colonel Gregor Jackson, Commanding Officer of 426 Training Squadron. "The opportunity for our AE Specialists to continue to work closely together helps in the sharing of ideas, knowledge and experience, ensuring that both of our Armed Forces benefit during times of crises when these particular skillsets are called into play."

Related Links

International Training Programs - Royal Canadian Air Force - Canada.ca
Aeromedical Evacuation Course - Royal Canadian Air Force - Canada.ca