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2 Air Support Operations Squadron joins RCAF 2 Wing

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Above image: Commander of 2 Wing, Colonel Belley presided over the 2 Air Support Operations Squadron Assumption of Command Ceremony where command was assumed by Lieutenant Colonel Riley and Warrant Officer Parker at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario on 25 July 2024. Photo by: Corporal Luke Barrie, 8 Wing Imaging.

Last summer, 2 Air Support Operations Squadron (2 ASOS) joined 2 Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), bringing exceptional expertise in line with the expeditionary mandate.

Commander of 2 Wing, Colonel Belley presided over the 2 Air Support Operations Squadron Assumption of Command Ceremony where command was assumed by Lieutenant Colonel Riley and Warrant Officer Parker at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario on 25 July 2024. Photo by: Corporal Luke Barrie, 8 Wing Imaging.

Critical Role

According to the announcement, 2 Air Support Operations Squadron holds a special position within the RCAF and plays a critical role in supporting joint, combined, and interagency operations. Its primary mission is to provide command and control of air–land integration through deployable Tactical Air Control Parties (TACP) and air liaison detachments integrated with the Canadian Army.

Within a TACP, air officers, systems operators and joint terminal air controllers are responsible for managing the airspace above ground forces. These key positions are held by aerospace controllers, air combat systems officers, pilots and aerospace control operators.

By coordinating air power with land operations from the battalion to the corps level, 2 ASOS increases speed and flexibility, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of joint operations and ensuring seamless cooperation between the RCAF and the Canadian Army.

Although 2 ASOS headquarters is at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Kingston, the squadron is composed of various detachments located on several bases, including Edmonton, Petawawa and Valcartier. Canadian Armed Forces members of Garrison Petawawa participate in a Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team (CMERT) training scenario in the training area at Garrison Petawawa, October 6, 2020. Photo by: Pte Sarah Morley, Canadian Armed Forces photo.

Hybrid Structure

To accomplish this mission, 2 ASOS operates within a hybrid structure. While integrated within the Army to ensure close cooperation and strategic management of air resources, the squadron remains under RCAF command.

“The official arrival of our squadron to 2 Wing is a significant and long-anticipated event. Its existence is a testament to the power of collaboration, determination, and commitment,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Joshua Riley, Commanding Officer of 2 ASOS. “Many people worked tirelessly to create a home for the TACP. I am honoured to lead this unit and am confident that, as the centre of Joint air-land operations, it will greatly enhance our capabilities and contribution to RCAF and Army operations.”

Although 2 ASOS headquarters is at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Kingston, the squadron is composed of various detachments located on several bases, including Edmonton, Petawawa and Valcartier, which means that nine of the 17 positions in 2 ASOS are held by primary controllers co-located at Canadian Army Headquarters.

The concept of operations was first approved by Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny (then Major-General) on 19 July 2021. Above image: United States Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Royal Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. Alain Pelletier, Deputy Commander, NORAD, welcomed Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny, Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force, to the NORAD and USNORTHCOM headquarters on Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, April 19, 2023. The pair of senior leaders met with other U.S. and Canadian leadership for discussions on Canada’s military modernization efforts, NORAD and USNORTHCOM’s strategic vision for integrated deterrence, and integration between the two partner nations. Department of Defense photo by Master Sgt. Benjamin Wiseman.

Important Milestones

According to the Canadian Armed Forces, the creation of the squadron was marked by several important milestones. The concept of operations was first approved by Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny (then Major-General) on 19 July 2021.

It was followed by the approval of the Implementation Master Plan by Major-General Colin Keiver, on behalf of Lieutenant-General Al Meinzinger, on 20 April 2023. The process was finalized with the signing of the Ministerial Order of Organization by the Minister of National Defence on 3 July 2024, and the squadron was officially incorporated a few days later.

“With three of its six units now located outside of CFB Bagotville, 2 Wing continues to grow and has a greater presence across Canada than ever,” noted the Canadian Armed Forces.