15 WING, Sask. — The first four CT-157 Siskin II aircraft arrived at 15 Wing Moose Jaw on Sept. 21, marking another milestone in the Royal Canadian Air Force’s transition to its new aircrew training program.
Based on the Pilatus PC-21, the Siskin II will support advanced fixed-wing and jet pilot training through the Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program. The $11.2-billion, 25-year contract will consolidate the RCAF’s existing aircrew training programs under SkyAlyne, a partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace. A total of 19 Siskin II aircraft are expected to arrive in batches over approximately the next year and a half.
Although the aircraft now being delivered are intended for the FAcT program, the Siskin II platform has also been selected as the future aircraft for the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. The aerobatic team’s transition from the CT-114 Tutor will proceed through a separate procurement and implementation process.
Maj. Zach Charbonneau, a pilot instructor who has trained on the aircraft, said the Siskin II represents a significant step forward from the Harvard II currently used at 15 Wing and the now-retired Hawk jet trainer.
“The new aircraft is very much a step forward in information processing,” he said. “There’s a lot more information available to the pilot, so it’s less a hands-and-feet exercise … and more mission kit management.”
Among the new capabilities is an autopilot system, which was not available on the previous training aircraft. The Siskin II also includes software that can simulate equipment and scenarios pilots could encounter in operational aircraft.
“The Siskin’s also got a bunch of synthetic software … like synthetic radar and ground radar, and eventually electro-optical infrared,” Charbonneau said. “It’s all computer-generated inside the aircraft, but it looks real.”
Introducing those systems during training will allow student pilots to begin developing information-management and tactical skills earlier in their careers.
From a flying perspective, Charbonneau said the Siskin II falls between the Harvard II turboprop and the retired Hawk jet trainer.
“[It] flies more like a jet than the Harvard. [It] rolls much faster [and has] higher G limits,” he said. “It’s roughly 600 horsepower more powerful than the Harvard, so it’s a little bit faster.”
The aircraft uses a Canadian-built Pratt & Whitney turboprop engine and produces a distinct sound that residents may begin hearing around Moose Jaw. Charbonneau said its sound profile is different from the Harvard II but broadly similar overall.
Before students begin training on the new aircraft, the initial group of instructors must become proficient and prepare to train additional personnel.
Four CAE instructors and four RCAF pilots have qualified on the platform after travelling to Switzerland for initial training. The group will now build its experience with the aircraft before training additional instructors.
“Once we have a strong cadre of … instructors, we’ll start teaching some students,” Charbonneau said. “But it’ll take a few months to do that.”
The Siskin II will be introduced as the existing NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program winds down, although Charbonneau said the precise timing of any overlap or gap remains a “moving target.”
Under FAcT, the initial pilot training role currently based at Southport, Man., will transfer to 15 Wing, where students will begin flying on the new CT-102B Astra II before advancing to the Siskin II. Those selected for the jet stream will remain on the Siskin for additional advanced training, while others will move elsewhere for multi-engine or helicopter instruction.
The FAcT program is expected to bring a substantial expansion to 15 Wing. A 2024 federal environmental review described an overall development area of approximately 50,000 square metres, including buildings and parking. Current plans describe a three-building campus anchored by a two-storey training, simulator and hangar complex.
Separate buildings would include a single-storey mess hall providing year-round food service and a four-storey accommodation facility for students, staff and visitors. The broader development would also require new roads, parking, streetlights, water and sewer infrastructure, stormwater lines and landscaped areas. Plans remain subject to change as the project proceeds through design and contracting.
Charbonneau said the aircraft could give student pilots experience that previously required more advanced training platforms. He pointed to Australia, where the PC-21 helps pilots develop the skills needed before progressing to more advanced military aircraft.
“We’re definitely going to be able to do a lot more with the gear we have now than was ever possible,” he said. “It’s all great news for training, at least.”
