The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has officially withdrawn its fighter unit deployed for the Iraq mission as part of Operation IMPACT to conduct airstrikes against ISIS.

RCAF commander lieutenant-general Mike Hood said: "As we formally mark the closure of the Operation Impact fighter detachment, we should reflect on the valuable contribution this detachment has made."

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

"You did so with the utmost professionalism and supported the commander objective of ensuring that coalition operations targeted only the enemy; your care and duty in this regard is beyond reproach and you have done your nation proud."

"We should reflect on the valuable contribution this detachment has made."

The decision involved RCAF withdrawing six CF-18 fighter jets and retaining two surveillance planes.

Earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said that the Canadian Armed Forces personnel in the coalition mission will be increased from 600 to around 830, while the current 69 ground training troops will be tripled.

The country had also revealed plans to spend more than C$1.6bn over three years towards improving security, and providing humanitarian aid to the region.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Out of the total funds, C$264m will be utilised to extend the military mission in Iraq and Syria until 31 March next year, $145m in non-military security efforts, $840m in humanitarian assistance, and $270m to strengthen the forces in Jordan and Lebanon.

Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


Excellence in Action
Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

Discover the Impact