NARRATIVE REPORT
Ottawa NORAD Sector, Edgar, Ontario
Period 1 Dec 60 to 31 May 61
1 Dec 60
Sioux Gold, an exercise conducted jointly by Northern NORAD Region and 26th NORAD Region, was held. The exercise on the whole served its purpose by highlighting and pinpointing several areas for operational improvement, particularly in cross tell with adjoining Montreal NORAD Sector. The overall relationship with Syracuse NORAD Sector was as usual accomplished with no difficulty.
9 Dec 60
Catseye 27 was an Ottawa NORAD Sector exercise carried out as a test of operational procedures under very minimum warning conditions. First warning occurred as a live penetration of the MCL while a synthetic STP exercise was in progress. It is interesting to record that the majority of aircraft at both fighter bases which were on three hour status were available for scramble within an hour and one half.
29 Dec 60
Catseye 28 was a "no-notice" exercise conducted by Ottawa NORAD Sector. This exercise provided a high stress factor with a mass of targets over a short period, all employing evasive action and accompanied by very extensive ECM.
19 Jan 61
Catseye 1 was held within the Sector. No ECM was employed, and its usual effectiveness was demonstrated by the excellent results obtained against tracks during this exercise. However, evasive tactics employed provided a welcome challenge to controller skills.
24 Jan 61
A/C DAR Bradshaw, Deputy for Operations and Colonel PE Joyal, Director Air Operations, Northern NORAD Region, visited Ottawa NORAD Sector Headquarters.
3 and 4 Feb 61
"Blast Off" was an exercise conducted by Northern, 30th and 26th NORAD Regions and was effective in practicing coordination in that area of operations. The exercise itself, however, was weakened by unfortunate cancellation of many of the targets due to adverse weather conditions.
1 Mar 61
W/C WA Hockney, Commander NORAD Sector, was promoted to the rank of Acting Group Captain effective this date.
10 Mar 61
Catseye 2 was an exercise designed to present a relatively complicated surveillance problem in order to provide an opportunity for the sector to test COIN procedures in a live situation. As it was conducted in conjunction with a 30th NORAD Region exercise, additional targets were provided, and this proved useful in exercising coordination between sectors in the utilization of weapons.
6 Apr 61
Sioux Indian/Think Ahead was a combined exercise between Northern, 26th and 30th NORAD Regions. The principal benefit to Ottawa NORAD Sector was progress in the streamlining of threat information from the DEW Line and the MCL.
7 Apr 61
A/V/M WR MacBrien, Commander Northern NORAD Region, visited Sector Headquarters while on a short visit to RCAF Station Edgar.
19 May 61
Catseye 3 was conducted by Ottawa NORAD Sector. This exercise was moderate under light ECM conditions. However, it did provide useful practice for COIN procedures under live conditions.
31 May 61
Due to increasing capability of potential hostile forces and the aging ability of our current fighters, the decision to disband four CF100 squadrons was announced. On this date 428 "Ghost" squadron, stationed at RCAF Station Uplands, was officially disbanded after long and faithful service in support of Ottawa NORAD Sector operations.
The most important development from a standpoint of Sector operations during the period under review was the implementation of new techniques in the transmission of air defence information to the Battle Commander from his area of responsibility. In the latter half of 1960 a Committee on Information Needs, henceforth known as COIN, was formed to evaluate existing procedures for gathering, relaying and displaying air defence data. In very general terms, the results of this study produced a procedure that eliminated successive relaying of information by reporting direct from radar scope to several positions simultaneously; and, to a great extent, the element of personal judgment was removed at lower levels by making actions more of a regimented and routine nature. At its best, with well-qualified personnel and adequate communications facilities, the COIN procedure provides the Battle Commander with more adequate, more timely, and more reliable information than previously possible. The implementation of this procedure was a further step in the continuing search for ways in which to maximize the efficiency of a manual air defence sector.
Close cooperation with all adjoining SAGE sectors was continued during this period. Visits by officers in directive positions, as well as fighter aircrew, were welcomed from the Syracuse, Detroit and Sault Ste Marie NORAD Sectors.
Although Ottawa NORAD Sector completed this period with its full complement of five AC&W units, the evolution into a SAGE complex, which will be reported on in more detail in subsequent narratives, had begun with the increasing incidence of personnel transfers to and from the parent unit, RCAF Station Edgar.
Signed by:
(WA Hockney) G/G
Commander
Ottawa NORAD Sector
RCAF Station Edgar, Ont.