Canada. Canadian Armed Forces. 12 Wing Headquarters, CFB Shearwater : a12 Wing is the home of naval aviation in Canada. With 29 CH-124 Sea King helicopters and approximately 1,100 people, 12 Wing supports the Canadian Navy with up to ten helicopter air detachments for international and domestic operations.
12 Wing Shearwater is comprised of 4 flying units. This includes two operational Sea King squadrons. 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron is the East coast squadron while 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, based in Patricia Bay, British Columbia is the West Coast unit. 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron provides training while HOTEF is responsible for all operational testing of new equipment and operating procedures on the Sea King helicopter.
12 Wing's operational squadrons are sub-divided into Helicopter Air Detachments (HelAirDets) that go to sea on ships with aircrew, maintenance technicians, and Aircraft. During a deployment or exercise, the HelAirDet personnel essentially become part of the ship's crew and the helicopter, an extension of the ship, by extending its sensor and weapons delivery capability.
12 Air Maintenance Squadron (12 AMS) provides trained technicians who deploy as members of the HelAirDets. In Shearwater, they are responsible for most other maintenance of the Sea King, including comprehensive periodic maintenance in which the Aircraft is almost entirely disassembled.
Sea King helicopter detachments are deployed from home up to six months at a time in various areas of the world. The Sea King is one of the busiest Aircraft in Canada's air force, participating in a variety of international and domestic operations. In recent years, this has included Op Friction in the Persian Gulf; Op Deliverance in Somalia, Op Sharp Guard in the former Yugoslavia, Op Forward Action in Haiti, Op Assistance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Op Determination in the Arabian Sea and Op Persistence in support of the Swissair 111 crash.
