Welcome Home ceremony held to wrap up 437 Transport Squadron’s air-to-air refuelling contribution to Operation Impact

437 Transport Squadron’s air-to-air refuelling contribution to Operation Impact in Iraq and Syria came to an official end on Monday, Jan. 28 with the return of a CC-150 Polaris aircraft, crew, and support personnel from the squadron. 

The CC-150 Polaris aircraft had continuously provided air-to-air refuelling for the Global Coalition against Daesh in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 2014. 

“I am incredibly proud of the efforts the 437 Transport Squadron members and their families positively contributed to Op Impact. Our squadron motto is ‘Omnia Passim’ (Anything, Anywhere’), and for the nearly five years that we served in this mission, we certainly lived up to those words,” said LCol. Diane Baldasaro, the commanding officer of 437 Transport Squadron.

During the deployment, the multi-purpose, twin-engine, long-range jet aircraft flew a total of 1,166 sorties, flew for more than 7,050 hours and delivered more than 65 million pounds of fuel in support of Operation Impact. 

Two of the CC-150 Polaris were converted to strategic air-to-air refuellers for Canada’s fleet of CF-188 Hornets as part of the Air Force Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) program. 

In total, the Polaris MRTT is capable of transferring 36,000 kilograms of fuel to receiving aircraft over a journey of 4,630 kilometres. 

To welcome home the members that were on the final deployment for 437 Transport Squadron there was a ceremony held at 8 Wing Trenton on Monday. The ceremony included a presentation of General Service Medals – Expeditionary to the civilian employees of L3 MAS to recognize their work in supporting the CC-150 Polaris during the deployment. 

“We are extremely proud of the women and men of 437 Transport Squadron, L3 MAS, and all of the personnel at 8 Wing who supported Operation Impact in the Middle East over the last four years,” said Colonel Mark Goulden, 8 Wing commander. “Their dedication and commitment enabled the Coalition Forces by providing an important air-to-air refueling capability, which contributed to support of the security forces on the ground.”