So they have totally shut down 02-20 for parking, they have set up cables on 27, and they will be apparently flying armed aircraft and firing live ammunition at drones off the coast. SO if anyone is in town you may want to bring a camera and watch the show! (in the process of finding a big ladder to set up lawn chairs on the hanger…) PM me if you want the best view in town to watch the carrier landings

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Briefing Note
Trident Fury, Military Exercise
May 8th – 19th, 2006
The Canadian Navy will be leading a multi-national military exercise from May 8th to the 19th, 2006. Called Trident Fury, the Canadian Navy, Army and Air Force will all be participating along with the Air Forces of the Coalition. The primary participants will be Canada, Great Britain and the United States of America.
The exercise will take place along the pacific north west coast of the United States and the south west coast of British Columbia.
Six airfields are being contemplated as support bases for Trident Fury. They are:
• McChord Air Force Base, Washington, USA.
• Seattle Seatac International Airport, Washington, USA.
• Whidbey Naval Air Station, Washington, USA.
• Victoria International Airport
• Vancouver International Airport
• Canadian Forces Base Comox
Plans for Victoria International Airport will include the stationing of six McDonnell Douglas F15C Eagle fighter jets, two Grumman E-2C Hawkeye aircraft and one Boeing E-3D Sentry aircraft.
There will be significant number of people and facilities required to support this exercise. Flight crews and support staff for an operation of this size includes hundreds of people, requiring ground support facilities positioned in close proximity to each squadron.
Using the apron of our locally based 443 Squadron (Sea King Helicopter), combined with sections of runway 02-20 and the south side of Taxiway Golf, we will be able to accommodate the parking of the aircraft required for the exercise. We will be required to NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) Runway 13-31 as closed during this time. An additional full day will be required for set up and tear down of the temporary aircraft operational areas for the exercise.
The fighter jets and the Boeing E-3D Sentry typically operate on runways that are 8000 feet or longer. As our longest runway (09-27) is only 7000 feet long, the Air Force will be required to install arrestor cables at either end of the runway in the event of an emergency. This cable will be placed across the runway surface every time the aircraft arrive and depart. Impact to airport operations will be minimal as the cable can be deployed in about three minutes and removed in about one minute.
Aircraft will run two missions daily at about 2 ½ hours each with a turn around time of approximately 2 hours between each. There will be no nighttime operations and there will be two days of no flight operations during the ten day exercise.
Our annual maintenance program requires the periodic closure of runways at this time of year with minimal disruption to our commercial operation. This exercise will not require additional closures and we will be able to adjust our maintenance program to accommodate this activity without jeopardizing our work plan.
With minor adjustments to our day-to-day operations, Victoria Airport Authority will be facilitating a great economic benefit to Greater Victoria and Saanich Peninsula. Over five hundred military personnel will be based in our region for the duration of the exercise, staying in our hotels, dining in local restaurants, and touring the region with our tour operators. The service industry will see a significant rise in activity during Trident Fury.
NavCanada will also be impacted with the increased military presence on our airfield and in the region. NavCanada has been briefed and have indicated they will be able to manage this increased activity without concern to our regular commercial traffic.
Pictures of aircraft involved in Trident Fury are below.

6 - McDonnell Douglas F15 Eagle

2 - Grumman E-2C Hawkeye

1 - Boeing E-3D Sentry