All-day flight is no poisson d’avril
The Heron detachment leadership pose with the
record-breaking aircraft. From left:
MWO G.J. Micklethwaite, UAV Detachment
Sergeant-Major; Maj J.S. Davis, officer commanding
Canadian Heron UAV Detachment; Col J.H.C. Drouin,
commander JTF-Afg Air Wing; and CWO L.J. Limoges,
A/Wing Chief Warrant Officer.
By Sergeant Stephen Decatur
Kandahar Airfield, AFGHANISTAN - It was no joke on April Fools’ Day when the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing gave the Air Force a birthday present in the form of a new personal best. The CU-170 Heron unmanned aerial vehicle broke the record for the longest Canadian UAV flight by staying aloft for almost 25 hours.
Aside from surpassing the normal Heron operating time of 18 to 21 hours, the flight was also one of the longest unrefueled flights in the history of the Canadian Air Force, according to Colonel Christian Drouin, commanding officer of the JTF-Afg Air Wing.
The aircraft provided surveillance for a full 24 hours before landing, refitting and going back into action in less than three hours. The ground crews — made up of pilots and intelligence analysts — rotated during the mission to keep fresh eyes on the battlefield, said UAV pilot Captain Kenneth Jones. Capt Jones, who started his flying career with tactical helicopters such as the CH-136 Kiowa and CH-146 Griffon, said he never imagined he would be flying an aircraft from the comfort of the ground. He went on to explain that, despite the obvious fact that the crew is on the ground, the Heron flies much like a manned aircraft.
The Heron replaced the CU-161 Sperwer UAV in 2009 to meet a growing demand for UAV support. The aircraft has greater range and newer sensors than the Sperwer, which first deployed to Afghanistan in 2003. Pushing the envelope on UAV flights means the Air Force will be able to provide that much more support to the mission on land, explained Col Drouin.
“The Heron is like Big Brother watching over our troops on the ground,” said Col Drouin. “This milestone … is significant as it opens the door to even more refinement in extending the endurance of this extraordinary capability.”
Whether investigating suspicious activity or watching soldiers’ backs, that capability can ultimately turn the tide in life and death situations, said Major Jeff Davis, commander of the Heron detachment.
“Any extra amount of time we can spend conducting [observation] for the troops helps save lives,” he added.
Sgt Stephen Decatur is a member of the Public Affairs detachment deployed with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82 Airborne Division. He is currently serving at Kandahar Airfield with the Canadian headquarters staff of Task Force Kandahar.
