Page 14 - September 2019

The ground station was a “tin box” containing a TV The contract covers two years (which would take us to the
screen and a joystick with which it was controlled – all planned end of the Canadian Forces' stay in Kandahar and
mounted on the back of a truck into which were district) plus an option to renew for a third year.
rammed an operator, and, often, a pilot, a payload The Noctua is smaller than the Predator B and carries no
operator to operate the surveillance camera, intelligence
weapons, but is still quite capable, having 24-hour endurance
officer. Given that there was no air conditioning,
and a ceiling of 30,000 feet. The sensor payload is classified,
personnel efficiency could not be maintained – in the but is clearly capable of listening to cellphone conversations.
opinions of the air force personnel overseeing the
Four airframes have been leased; three for service in
project – beyond four hours at a time.
Afghanistan and one for training in Alberta.

Impressive – but this project has not been without problems.
There exists a set of U.S. government regulations called ITARS
(for “International Traffic in Arms Regulations”) covering the
sale or transfer of technology that could conceivably be used
against the U.S. or its interests. That meant some American
technology could not be used in this Israeli system — which
the Canadian Forces planned to use in co-operation with
American forces in Afghanistan. No sensitive American
technology could be fitted on it, “which made it very
interesting in terms of communicating with the Americans, but
we got it overseas,” said March, adding that replacement
The army looked askance at this becuase its personel surveillance technology could only be integrated with “great
traditionally were expected to remain alert and at their difficulty".
stations for 18 or 20 hours at a time; only belatedly did it Getting spare parts was challenging, too, because Arab
acknowledge the air force’s view.
countries maintain a commercial boycott of Israel, requiring
With the work of the Canadian military contingent in parts for the UAVs to be shipping from Israel to Canasta, then
Kabul nearing its end in 2003, the Sperwers eventually placed aboard an aircraft and sent back to a Canadian supply
were brought home – only to be sent back over to base before being sent to Afghanistan. It was also March’s
Afghanistan when it was decided to send a Canadian impression that training standards differed between Israeli
force to Kandahar. Soon, the inadequacies of the instructors and no standard exam or evaluation was
Sperwer were enough that the Canadian Forces began administered. Finally, upon its deployment to Afghanistan,
looking for a replacement. The air force’s first choice veteran Canadian personnel noted the Noctua’s relatively
was the American-built General Atomics Predator B, a small size and recommended it be preceded and followed by
“big honkin’ airplane” with the wingspan of a Boeing 737 “chase trucks” that would keep away other vehicles. That
and the ability to carry 2,000 lbs. of ordnance and a suggestion was ignored and the unhappy result was that an
sophisticated surveillance package. “It’s great – not only American serviceman driving a pickup truck ran into a taxiing
can you find somebody, but you can ‘reach out and Noctua, setting back its operational use by several weeks.
touch them’ at the same time”.
Despite all this, the Noctua system was deployed into
There were two problems. It was, as March put it, Afghanistan in the spring of 2008 “and has really been
"pretty expensive”. As well, the U.S. Air Force was instrumental in saving lives and taking the fight to the enemy,”
buying more at that time and a potential Canadian order March said. He added tracking a hostile foe requires much
could not easily be fit into it. What to do? Well, another regard for the “pattern of life” — that is, the civilians around
producer of UAVs was Israel, which had even battle- the target — so as to avoid casualties and bitterness against
tested them. Moreover, the manufacturer, Israeli the NATO forces. But when a target is identified and can be
Aircraft Industries, was eager to please and eventually struck, the usual prescription is an artillery strike or a pair of
received the $95-million contract for the lease of its 500-lb bombs delivered by a NATO aircraft. “”That seems a bit
Heron UAV, plus training and other support services. The much, but if you’ve spent time and money tracking him, you
project was dubbed “Noctua” (Latin for a “night owl”. want to make sure this guy is dead — and the best way to do
that is through overkill,” he said.