On the 18th of March 2011,Peter MacKay the Canadian Minister of National Defence announced the deployment of CF188 Hornets as part of Operation Mobile to support United nations resolution 1973.
Canadian CF188 Hornets and other aircraft passed through Prestwick in Scotland the following day,the 19th of March 2011,on their way to Trapani air base in Sicily.
Canadian Hornets flew their first combat sortie on the 21st of March 2011.
Up to the 15th of June 2011,a period which covers a total of 86 days,6 Canadian CF188 Hornets had flown 418 combat sorties.
Which means that the Canadian CF188s have flown an average of about 4.9 sorties per day.
That is an average of 0.8 sorties per aircraft per day.
This compares very well to the 12 Royal Air Force Tornados based at Goia Del Colle.
The 12 Tornados averaged 6 sorties per day over the first 50 days of Operation Ellamy.
An average of 0.5 sorties per aircraft per day for the British bombers.
Thus the Canadian CF188s are generating about 60% more sorties per aircraft per day than the Royal Air Force Tornados.
The average length of a Canadian CF188 Hornet sortie over Libya is just under 5 hours.
The average length for a Royal Air Force Tornado sortie over Libya is 5.5 hours.
The Canadian base at Trapani in Sicily is about 350* Miles from Tripoli.
The British base at Gioia Del Colle in Italy is about 580* Miles from Tripoli.
So the Royal Air Force Tornados must fly about 1,160 Miles just to transit to and from Tripoli.
The Canadian CF188 Hornets must fly about 700 Miles to transit to and from Tripoli.
Assuming an average transit speed of 500 miles per hour,the extra 460 Miles which the Tornados must fly on each sortie is likely to absorb about an extra 55 minutes of their flying time on each sortie.
Which suggests that the average Canadian Hornet sortie generates about 25 minutes more time on station over Libya than the average Royal Air Force Tornado sortie.
Time on station per sortie over Libya averages about 3 hours 36 minutes for the Canadian Hornets and about 3 hours and 11 minutes for the Royal Air Force Tornados.
The Canadian Hornets appear to be generating both more sorties per aircraft per day than the British Tornados and more time on station per sortie.
The average length of a Canadian CF188 Hornet sortie over Libya is just under 5 hours.
The average length for a Royal Air Force Tornado sortie over Libya is 5.5 hours.
The Canadian base at Trapani in Sicily is about 350* Miles from Tripoli.
The British base at Gioia Del Colle in Italy is about 580* Miles from Tripoli.
So the Royal Air Force Tornados must fly about 1,160 Miles just to transit to and from Tripoli.
The Canadian CF188 Hornets must fly about 700 Miles to transit to and from Tripoli.
Assuming an average transit speed of 500 miles per hour,the extra 460 Miles which the Tornados must fly on each sortie is likely to absorb about an extra 55 minutes of their flying time on each sortie.
Which suggests that the average Canadian Hornet sortie generates about 25 minutes more time on station over Libya than the average Royal Air Force Tornado sortie.
Time on station per sortie over Libya averages about 3 hours 36 minutes for the Canadian Hornets and about 3 hours and 11 minutes for the Royal Air Force Tornados.
The Canadian Hornets appear to be generating both more sorties per aircraft per day than the British Tornados and more time on station per sortie.
Between them,the 6 Canadian Hornets are generating about 18 hours on station over Libya each day,an average of 3 hours on station per Hornet per day.
The 12 British Tornados are generating 19 hours on station over Libya each day,an average of 1 hour and 35 minutes on station per Tornado per day.
Each Canadian Hornet is generating 89% more time on station over Libya per day than each British Tornado.
*Distances from google Earth.
The 12 British Tornados are generating 19 hours on station over Libya each day,an average of 1 hour and 35 minutes on station per Tornado per day.
Each Canadian Hornet is generating 89% more time on station over Libya per day than each British Tornado.
*Distances from google Earth.
13 comments:
It hasn't been known as the Royal Canadian Air Force since 1968.
Hello Thomas,
I know but I couldn't bear to call the "Canadian Forces Air Command",it sounds like a calculated insult.
The Canadians are turning in a respectable performance in Libya.
GrandLogistics.
Well, the Royal Canadian Air Force of pre-1968 agreed strongly with you.
Hello Thomas,
it is interesting to note that even on their official website they call themselves Canada's Air Force.
GrandLogistics.
So you are saying being closer to the target area generates more sorties?
Wow....... :)
Hello steve,
yes indeed.
Though there is more to it than that in this case.
With the Canadians flying sorties averaging 5 hours versus 5.5 hours for the British,you would expect their sortie rates to be slightly higher.
But they are actually 60% higher.
That can only mean the Canadians are performing far better.
There are many other examples of Royal Air Force fast jet sortie generation being below par.
GrandLogistics.
shoot me a private e-mail asap please.
Hello T6,
I was being silly.
Yours,
x
The real question is are they doing what is required, don't get bogged down in 'top trumps' stats about sortie rates. Not that it really matters but I don't think there is 12 out there anyway.
Hello Topman,
the problem is that the Tornados and Typhoons are not doing what is required.
Which is why the Foreign Secretary is going round Europe begging other countries to send more aircraft.
There would be no need for that if the Royal Air Force wasn't delivering so little air power.
GrandLogistics.
What taskings are being asked of them that aren't being done? You do know the taskings aren't set by the raf? Do you know how and why operational tasking are why they are? Although I'm not sure I'll make much headway, are you one of those anti-raf types?
Hello Topman,
taskings are set by the same people who are tasking the Canadians,Franch and all the other air arms involved.
Tasking is based on supply and demand.
There is so shortage of demand for the Tornado's bombing capabilities - in fact a pair of American B1 bombers recently flew across the Atlantic and delivered 100 bombs in 24 hours to make up the shortfall in available bombing capacity.
The limited tasking can only be explained by a lack of supply - the Tornados can not generate any more sorties.
Sortie generation by the Tornado fleet has historically been poor.
This is supported by the recent decision to send more Tornados - there would not be any need to send more if they were not getting enough tasking.
Why is it that anyone who criticises the Royal Air Force is labelled as anti-R.A.F?
GrandLogistics.
I know this is an old post however. With all due respect to our RAF brothers, who surely know about making do,our fellows in The RCAF(!) are veritable experts at doing more with less. I am not casting aspersions on the RAF lads, but this seems to be a rather recurring theme,regardless of the aircraft type. One wonders if there are not greater problems afoot in the RAF.
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