A Hornet’s Tale – Part 4 (Fact)On 1 April 1993, Canada founded Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2), a special operations unit mandated with the protecting Canadian national interests, combating terrorism threats (both domestic and abroad), and hostage rescue. Elements of JTF 2 deployed to Afghanistan in 2001. In 2006, Canadian Special Operations Forces Command was activated with JTF 2, Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR), 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (SOAS) and Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU) under command. The Honourable Henry Newton Rowell ‘Hal’ Jackman OC OOnt CD was in office as the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario between December 1991 and January 1997. [1]
A Hornet’s Tale – Part 4 (Fiction)With the formation of JTF 2 in 1993, it was realised that there would likely be a need for some form of dedicated close support asset capable of delivering decisive firepower with pinpoint accuracy either at a discrete range or in your face and that said asset should have a significant loiter time. Faced with the prospect of a considerable financial outlay, the Canadian Department of National Defence was quick to cease on Hal Jackman’s most generous offer (1 Can$ per airframe) for five of Spartan Logistics Hornets which, if re-militarised, could meet the desired requirements for a Counter-Terrorism (CT) / Counter-Insurgency (COIN) aircraft.
In 1994 and for the second time in its illustrious career PX393/CF-HVA headed back to de Havilland Canada for a complete nose-to-tail workout. Joining 428 (Ghost) Special Operations Squadron of the RCAF, at CFB Trenton in 1998, the effectively brand-new aircraft now sported, amongst many improvements, 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125B turboprop engines with 6-blade propellers, a lightweight Martin Baker Mk 4 ejector seat, new avionics, a new communications suite and a full set of very sharp teeth. Not only were the aircraft structurally new but, given that the CF-18 Hornet was already in RCAF service, a new name and designation was also needed. In homage to their benefactors, the RCAF’s latest recruits would be re-christened as the CF-103 Spartan.
When JTF 2 deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, the CF-103 Spartans of 428 Squadron went with them to Kandahar Air Field (KAF). There they would provide sterling service with accurate and timely support whenever and wherever it was needed. With the 5 aircraft ensuring that 3 were always available on call our plucky Spartans could and did provide the Canadian SOF operators with 24/7 on-call support.
In a touching segway, our DH 103 F-3 Hornet of interest (PX393) would be re-registered with the RCAF as CF-103 (103393) – the registration number being made up of a 3-digit official designation, followed by a 3-digit aircraft number. In our specific case, the type designation given was 103 (originally intended for the Avro Canada 103 but never used) and the aircraft number being 393 (it being not unusual for foreign or previously registered aircraft to keep their original number). So, it would be that PX393 become CF-HVA and finally 103393.
In 2014, along with the bulk of assigned Canadian ground forces, 428 Squadron returned home from Afghanistan whereupon all remaining CF-103 Spartan aircraft were finally retired from active service. Today, CF-103 Spartan (103393) can be found in pride of position at the National Air Force Museum of Canada, Trenton, Ontario.
Specifications (CF-103 Spartan)General CharacteristicsCrew: 1
Length: 38ft 6in (11.75m)
Wingspan: 45ft 0in (13.716m)
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125B turboprop engines, 2,500hp (1,864kW) each
PerformanceMaximum Speed: 490mph (784km/h) clean at 21,000ft (6,400m)
Combat Range: 1,480mi (2,380km)
Ferry Range: 3,600mi (5,760km) with additional 250 Imp gal (1140L) drop tanks on inner wing hard points
ArmamentGuns: 4 x 20mm Oerlikon KAE cannon (with 150rpg) in lower fuselage nose
Hardpoints: Total of 5: 2 on outboard wings, 2 on inboard wings and one on the centreline; holding up to 3500lbs (1590kg) of payload
Air-to-Surface Missiles:
- 4 x Hellfire on double launchers, outboard pylons only
- 6 x Brimstone on triple launchers, outboard pylons only
Bombs:
- 4 x GBU-12 Paveway II Mk 82 500lbs (227kg) bombs, under wings
- 2 x GBU-16 Paveway II Mk 83 1,000lb (454kg) bombs, inboard hardpoints only
Countermeasures: 1 x AN/ALE-47 airborne countermeasures dispenser system mounted under rear fuselage
Normal Loadout: 6 x Brimstone missiles, 2 x GBU-12 (500lbs) bombs and 1 x AN/AAQ-28 Litening II targeting pod on centreline pylon.
The model is a AZmodel DH Hornet F3 and is of DHC CF-103 Spartan (103393) in RCAF markings as she would have appeared at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) in 2010.
[References: Wikipedia]
