Air Traffic Control

In November the Department of National Defence (Wing Commander Hull) requested by telephone permission to clear through the service channel two USAF requests in connection with communications facilities at Frobisher Bay. The first USAF request was for permission to man and operate existing VHF and HF/DF radio equipment at Frobisher Bay to be used for long range navigation. No new installations would be required.

The second USAF request was for permission to install and operate at Frobisher Bay a VHF radio station to be used for flying control purposes.

It was anticipated that if these requests should be granted the USAF would operate the existing VHF and HF/DF equipment referred to in the first request, and would install and operate the VHF equipment referred to in their second request. We raised this matter with the Under-Secretary in a memorandum dated November 15, 1951, which suggested that the requests should be cleared through the service channel on the understanding that operation and installation of the equipment in question should be in accordance with the terms of our Note No. D-270 of September 24. Mr. Reid, Acting Under-Secretary at the time, agreed, and in our letter of December 5, to Chief of the Air Staff we indicated that we would have no objection to the settlement of these particular requests at the service level subject, of course, to the concurrence of the Department of Transport.

With a letter dated February 7, to Mr. Phillips from Wing Commander Hull,^? there were enclosed copies of correspondence between

(a) the US Air Attaché and the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, and

(b) Headquarters, Northeast Command, Pepperrell to the US Air Attaché, Ottawa, and

(c) from the Chief of the Air Staff (RCAF) to the US Air Attaché.^?

In the letter from the Chief of the Air Staff to Colonel Pillet, it was stated that the Department of Transport had informed the RCAF that they would not be able to "reactivate" the HF/DF station nor would they be able to install and operate the VHF/DF facilities at Frobisher Bay. Transport would, however, have no objection to installation and operation of the necessary communications facilities for flying control purposes, but they would recommend that if the USAF is to operate the HF/DF station they should, for technical reasons, operate also the air-ground frequencies now operated by the Department of Transport. The RCAF indicated to Colonel Pillet that they would agree with the views expressed by Transport subject to the provision that "the RCAF reserve the right to take over the control and operation of the control tower at a later date." Accordingly, the RCAF authorized the USAF to install and operate the required communications facilities, and to operate on a temporary basis the VHF air-ground facilities in the control tower. The RCAF requested that the USAF inform them whether they wished to take over operation of the air-ground frequencies being operated by the Department of Transport.

Comment

You will notice that in their letter to Colonel Pillet, the RCAF made no mention of the conditions which we had specified in our letter of December 5, to the Chief of the Air Staff, namely that any USAF installation or operation of radio equipment at Frobisher Bay would have to be in accordance with the terms of Note No. D-270 of September 24, 1951.

In the meantime, Wing Commander Hull and Mr. Phillips had begun discussions concerning the question of command and control which had specific application to the situation at Frobisher Bay. In his memorandum of January 11, Mr. Phillips, you will recall, mentioned three possible ways of retaining Canadian command and control of an air station. Two of the methods mentioned in Mr. Phillips' memorandum required that control of the control tower should be retained by the Canadian services. The third method visualized a joint station with only a Canadian commander, and as Mr. Phillips pointed out, this would likely lead to administrative difficulties, and there would be some doubt whether the Canadian position was adequately protected.

Mr. Phillips drew attention to the political implications of the problem, and suggested that it was time for us to have a discussion with the RCAF on "our whole policy for air stations in the North."

It appears now that Frobisher Bay is rapidly approaching Mr. Phillips' third category, namely a "joint station with only a Canadian commander." Although the RCAF have reserved the right to "take over the control and operation of the control tower at a later date," I think they will be loathe to do so because of the additional commitment of men which would be required. The Department of Transport, who might have served as "protector" of Canada's political interests at Frobisher, have indicated that they are unable to accept any further commitments, and in fact, they are willing to turn over to the USAF the operation of communications equipment now being operated by Department of Transport personnel. This clearly is an undesirable situation at Frobisher, which points up the necessity of reaching some agreement with the RCAF on the question of "command and control."

D.R. T[AYLOR]