Exercise COOPERAÇION means multinational success

News Article / November 15, 2021

By apt Maxime Cliche, 3 Wing Bagotville

Canada and 13 other countries trained and were evaluated against the standard procedures of the System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces (SICOFAA) in the use of air power in response to natural disasters and large-scale humanitarian relief.

Over the length of the two-week exercise, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s “work horse”, the CC-130 Hercules, was used to transport equipment and personnel in support of the training scenarios. Two such scenarios tested SICOFAA’s interoperability to conduct search and rescue missions quickly and effectively in a multinational context.

Deployed as a medical technician integrated into the international medical team, Corporal Jean-Sébastien Lemaire from 25 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre in Bagotville had much to say about his participation.

Supporting the exercise’s international programming team, 2 Wing’s Major Christine Montoya also found the experience rewarding.

Born in Brazil, Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Willrich, the Canadian Air Task Force (ATF) Commander, believes that the cultural diversity of ATF was a major asset.

The next Exercise COOPERAÇION will take place two years from now in Peru.