RCAF Patch Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Afghanistan TF Faucon

RCAF Patch Joint Task Force Afghanistan JTF AFG Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan CHFA 430 Squadron Rotation TF Faucon Royal Canadian Air Force Patch 2009 Kandahar AB Afghanistan Desert Subdued Velcro Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 77mm three inches diameter.

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History

Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan CHFA was the helicopter component of Joint Task Force Afghanistan JTF AFG Air Wing. Equipped with CH 147 Chinook CH 146 Griffon helicopters Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan CHFA reduced the exposure of personnel to ambushes land mines and improvised explosive devices through the use of airlift instead of road convoys.

CHFA was known as either Task Force Freedom or Task Force Faucon depending on which squadron was providing the rotation to fulfil the role. TF Freedoms personnel came from 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron which has its official motto For Freedom while TF Faucon was raised largely from 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron whose Squadron badge is the gyrfalcon.

Joint Task Force Afghanistan JTF Afg Air Wing stood up at Kandahar Airfield on 6 December 2008 with 200 personnel and quickly grew to its final operating strength of 450 personnel. JTF Afg Air Wing known in Afghanistan as Task Force Silver Dart provided the ground forces of ISAF Regional Command South with the full range of air support to combat operations while also meeting Canadian Forces local requirements.

JTF Afg Air Wing controlled three distinct Royal Canadian Air Force units comprising Tactical Airlift Unit also designated Task Force Canuck equipped with CC 130 Hercules transport aircraft the Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan CHFA with CH 147 Chinook CH 146 Griffon and chartered MI 8 helicopters and the Canadian Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV Detachment with CU 170 Heron UAVs with support from the Theatre Support Element TSE all rotationally manned by personnel and assets from Transport Helicopter and UAV Squadrons in Canada.

Joint Task Force Afghanistan JTF Afg Air Wing was inactivated at Kandahar on 18 August 2011 as part of the drawdown of Canadian Forces from Afghanistan.

This patch dates from 2009.