Fincastle competition
Encyclopedia
The International Fincastle Competition is a contest of skills between the air force
s of the United Kingdom
, Australia
, Canada
and New Zealand
. During the competition, crews compete in anti-submarine warfare
, anti-surface warfare
, and intelligence and surveillance
gathering.
). Initially the competition was for accuracy in depth charge
bombing showcase but it has evolved over the years to reflect the new duties of today's air force
s. The competition fosters relations among the four participating nations while encouraging learning and skill sharing.
sponsored the first Fincastle Maintenance Trophy
. According to the Canadian Air Force, competition for the Maintenance Trophy
"evaluates each team’s skills with maintenance, support, and flight line operations."
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
s of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. During the competition, crews compete in anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
, anti-surface warfare
Anti-Surface Warfare
Anti-surface warfare is a type of naval warfare directed against surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's surface ships....
, and intelligence and surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
gathering.
Origins
The Fincastle Competition began in 1960 when Mr. and Mrs. Aird-Whyte presented a silver tray, (now the Fincastle Trophy), in memory of their son Sergeant Nairn Fincastle Aird-Whyte, (who was killed in action in 1943 while flying with the RAF Coastal CommandRAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
). Initially the competition was for accuracy in depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
bombing showcase but it has evolved over the years to reflect the new duties of today's air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
s. The competition fosters relations among the four participating nations while encouraging learning and skill sharing.
ASW Bombing Competition
- Crews flew over their own home waters and sent results to an Adjudicating Committee in London for the selection of the winner.
Year Winner 1961 RAAF Royal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...1962 RCAF Royal Canadian Air ForceThe history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...1963 RAAF 1964 RNZAF Royal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...1965 RCAF 1966 RAF Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...1967 RAAF 1968 RAAF 1969 RAAF
ASW Competition
- Format as per previous competition (in home waters), but using a wider range of ASW skills to evaluate the winner.
Year Winner 1970 RAF Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
ASW Competition
- From 1971, the competition sorties were flown from a common venue, exercising ASW skills in a set format gradually evolved over the years, but kept to a broadly consistent focus.
Year Venue Host Submarine Winner 1971 Comox CFB ComoxCanadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox, is a Canadian Forces Base located north northeast of Comox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...CF Canadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...HMCS Rainbow RAAF/CF 1972 Tengah Tengah AirbaseTengah Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force located at Tengah, in the western part of Singapore. The airbase is the most important airfield of the RSAF as it houses the bulk of RSAF's fixed-wing frontline squadrons, home to all of RSAF's E-2C Hawkeyes , most of the...RAF Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...HMAS Onslow HMAS OnslowHMAS Onslow was one of six Oberon class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The submarine was named after the town of Onslow, Western Australia and Sir Alexander Onslow, with the boat's motto and badge derived from Onslow's family heritage...RAAF 1973 Edinburgh RAAF Base EdinburghRAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....RAAF Royal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...HMAS Oxley HMAS Oxley (S57)HMAS Oxley was an Oberon class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy .-Design and construction:The Oberon class was based heavily on the preceding Porpoise class of submarines, with changes made to improve the vessels' hull integrity, sensor systems, and stealth capabilities. Eight submarines...RAF 1974 Whenuapai RNZAF Base AucklandRNZAF Base Auckland is a Royal New Zealand Air Force base located near the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand. The base formerly comprised two separate airfields, Whenuapai and Hobsonville. Hobsonville was established as a seaplane station in 1928 and was the RNZAF's...RNZAF Royal New Zealand Air ForceThe Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...HMAS Oxley RAF 1975 Greenwood CFB GreenwoodCanadian Forces Base Greenwood , commonly referred to as "14 Wing Greenwood" or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...CF HMCS Okanagan HMCS Okanagan (S74)HMCS Okanagan was an that served in the Canadian Forces .Okanagan was laid down on 25 March 1965 at Chatham Dockyard, Chatham, England and launched on 17 September 1966. She was commissioned into the CF on 22 June 1968 with pennant number 74.In July 1973, Okanagan collided with the Royal Fleet...RAF/RAAF 1976 Kinloss RAF KinlossRAF Kinloss is a Royal Air Force station near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. It opened on 1 April 1939 and served as an RAF training establishment during the Second World War. After the war it was handed over to Coastal Command to watch over Russian ships and submarines in...RAF HMS Ocelot HMS Ocelot (S17)HMS Ocelot was an Oberon-class diesel-electric submarine laid down by HM Dockyard at Chatham in Kent on 17 November 1960, launched on 5 May 1962 and commissioned on 31 January 1964. She joined the 3rd Flotilla based at HMNB Clyde, in Faslane...RAF 1977 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Otway HMAS Otway (S59)HMAS Otway was an of the Royal Australian Navy .-Design and construction:The Oberon class was based heavily on the preceding Porpoise class of submarines, with changes made to improve the vessels' hull integrity, sensor systems, and stealth capabilities. Eight submarines were ordered for the RAN,...RAF 1978 Whenuapai RNZAF HMAS Otway RAAF 1979 Greenwood CF HMCS Okanagan RAAF 1980 St Mawgan RAF HMS Ocelot RNZAF 1981 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Oxley CF 1982 Whenuapai RNZAF HMAS Otama HMAS OtamaHMAS Otama was an Oberon class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy . Built in Scotland, the submarine was commissioned into the RAN in 1978; the last of the class to enter service...RNZAF 1983 Greenwood CF HMCS Okanagan RNZAF 1984 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Oxley RAF 1985 Kinloss RAF HMS Conqueror HMS Conqueror (S48)HMS Conqueror was a nuclear-powered fleet submarine that served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1990. She was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead...CF 1986 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Onslow RAF 1987 Greenwood CF HMCS Okanagan RAF 1988 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Onslow RNZAF 1989 St Mawgan RAF HMS Conqueror CF 1990 Greenwood CF HMS Onyx HMS Onyx (S21)HMS Onyx was an Oberon class submarine of the Royal Navy. Originally ordered for the Royal Canadian Navy, Onyx was transferred to the Royal Navy whilst under construction at Cammell Laird shipbuilders in Birkenhead, England...RAF 1991 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Ovens HMAS OvensHMAS Ovens is an Oberon class submarine formerly of the Royal Australian Navy which is now preserved as a museum ship.-Design and construction:...RNZAF 1992 Kinloss RAF HMS Superb HMS Superb (S109)HMS Superb was a nuclear powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy.She was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. HMS Superb was launched on 30 November 1974 at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and commissioned into the...RAF 1993 Greenwood CF HMCS Ojibwa HMCS Ojibwa (S72)HMCS Ojibwa was an that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces Maritime Command . Originally intended for service with the Royal Navy as HMS Onyx , the submarine was transferred to Canadian ownership before completion, and entered RCN service in 1965...RAAF 1994 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Onslow RAAF 1995 Kinloss RAF HMS Torbay HMS Torbay (S90)HMS Torbay is a nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy and was the fourth vessel of her class.Torbay was the first vessel to be fitted with the new command system SMCS-NG , which meant that she was also the first Royal Navy vessel to put to sea under the "command" of the Microsoft Windows operating...CF 1996 Whenuapai RNZAF HMAS Onslow CF 1997 Comox CF HMCS Ojibwa RNZAF 1998 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Onslow RNZAF 1999 Kinloss RAF HMS Trenchant HMS Trenchant (S91)HMS Trenchant is a nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy built by Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness. Trenchant is currently in service and is based at HMNB Devonport.The submarine was ordered on 22 March 1983...RAF 2000 No Competition - - - 2001 Edinburgh RAAF HMAS Waller HMAS Waller (SSG 75)HMAS Waller is the third of six Collins class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy .Named for Captain Hector Waller, the boat was laid down in 1992, and launched in 1997...RAF 2002 Kinloss RAF HMS Trafalgar HMS Trafalgar (S107)HMS Trafalgar is a decommissioned of the Royal Navy. Unlike the rest of the Trafalgar-class boats that followed, she was not launched with a pump jet propulsion system, but with a conventional 7-bladed propeller...RAF 2003 Pearce RAAF Base PearceRAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...RAAF HMAS Sheean HMAS Sheean (SSG 77)HMAS Sheean is the fifth of six Collins class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy .Named for Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean—the only submarine of the class to be named for an enlisted sailor—the boat was laid down in 1994 and launched in 1999...RAAF 2004 No Competition - - - 2005 Whenuapai RNZAF HMAS Farncomb HMAS Farncomb (SSG 74)HMAS Farncomb is the second of six Collins class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy .Named for Rear Admiral Harold Farncomb, the submarine was laid down in 1993 and launched in December 1995—the first submarine to be completely constructed in Australia.A combination of factors led to...RAF
MPA ISTAR Competition
- Format was changed to focus on a broader range of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTARISTARISTAR stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing the information they gather.Information is collected on...
) missions, as well as retaining an ASW component. Rather than a dedicated submarine, the competition is held in conjunction with a major exercise.Year Venue Host Exercise Winner 2006 Kinloss RAF KinlossRAF Kinloss is a Royal Air Force station near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. It opened on 1 April 1939 and served as an RAF training establishment during the Second World War. After the war it was handed over to Coastal Command to watch over Russian ships and submarines in...RAF Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...NEPTUNE WARRIOR RAF 2008 Comox CFB ComoxCanadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox, is a Canadian Forces Base located north northeast of Comox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...CF Canadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...MAPLE GUARDIAN RAF
Maintenance Trophy
In 1996 Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
sponsored the first Fincastle Maintenance Trophy
Maintenance Trophy
-Origins:The Lockheed Martin Fincastle Maintenance Trophy was first introduced during Fincastle 1996, which was held in New Zealand. It was felt the competition would strengthen relations between the competing countries, allowing them to learn from each other as well as involving the maintenance...
. According to the Canadian Air Force, competition for the Maintenance Trophy
Maintenance Trophy
-Origins:The Lockheed Martin Fincastle Maintenance Trophy was first introduced during Fincastle 1996, which was held in New Zealand. It was felt the competition would strengthen relations between the competing countries, allowing them to learn from each other as well as involving the maintenance...
"evaluates each team’s skills with maintenance, support, and flight line operations."