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Royal Canadian Air Force Welcomes first two Future Aircrew Training Program Aircraft

National Defence

News release

September 11, 2025 - Ottawa - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and industry partner SkyAlyne welcomed the first two CT-102B Astra II (Grob G120 TP) Basic Flight Training aircraft today at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport.

The two planes are being ferried from Germany, where they were manufactured, to their home at 15 Wing Moose Jaw. They will ultimately form part of a 23-aircraft fleet used to teach ab initio pilot training under the new Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program; a joint initiative run by the RCAF and SkyAlyne. Once FAcT is operational, every future pilot who earns their wings in Canada's Air Force will have started their flying career on the Astra II.

Quotes

"As Canada Rearms, Reinvests and Rebuilds the Canadian Armed Forces - we will do so by investing in our industries. Last year, Canada signed an $11 billion dollar contract to build Canada's Future Aircrew Training Program with CAE and KF Aerospace, two leading Canadian Companies. Today, Canada received the first two CT-102B Astra II aircrafts, which will train military aviators, preparing them to face future challenges with professionalism and confidence."

The Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

"The Future Aircrew Training program will revolutionize how Canada's Air Force trains our aircrew. For pilots, their journey will start with the CT-102B Astra II - a greatly upgraded version of the current CT-102A being flown at 3 Canadian Forces Training School, Southport, MB. The Astra II provides more power and superior performance and will set students up for success as they prepare to fly the sophisticated RCAF aircraft we will welcome in the near future, like the CF-35A and CP-8A."

Major-General Jeff Smyth, Chief of Air and Space Force Development, Royal Canadian Air Force

Quick facts

• While bearing some similarities to the current ab initio training aircraft the CT-102A Astra, the CT-102B Astra II boasts superior power and performance that is necessary to prepare pilots to fly increasingly advanced RCAF of today and the future.

• As part of the FAcT program, the CT-102Bs will operate from 15 Wing Moose Jaw, SK once the program is fully operational, shifting initial ab initio training from 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Southport, MB (Portage la Prairie). Training will continue at Southport with 3 CFFTS remaining home to rotary wing and multi-engine training under FAcT.

• The CT-102Bs wear a livery of yellow and blue that will be common to all Future Aircrew Training Fleets. The yellow harkens to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan of the Second World War which saw over 130,000 Allied aircrew train in Canada, while the blue reflects the RCAF's current training aircraft. The two-tone paint scheme is also designed to improve visibility in the air during all seasons to enhance safety.

• The CT-102B fleet is owned by the RCAF and loaned to industry partner SkyAlyne under a contracted training and support arrangement. Upon arrival in Moose Jaw, SK the first two aircraft will be used to train instructors and further develop training and lesson plans as part of the FAcT program implementation process. The CT-102B procurement also includes advanced simulators that will eventually be installed in new training infrastructure at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.