FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pardon our noise, it's the sound of freedom

Salina, Kan., (February 23, 2011) - Pardon our noise it's the sound of freedom!

Once again the sky of Salina may be a little louder than usual as our neighbors to the north with six CF-18 Hornets and two CH-146 Griffon helicopters from Canadian  Air  Force  409  Tactical  Fighter  Squadron  take

 advantage of the training and basing opportunities at the Salina Airport Authority and the Smoky Hill Weapons Range, through March 23.

The "Nighthawks" are supporting the Canadian Army during forward air controller training.  The Army FACs will be training to serve as the eyes on the ground for the Air Force pilots.  Through a number of methods, FACs communicate with the inbound pilots, guiding them to destroy enemy targets and minimize collateral damage.

Upon completion of their training, Canadian soldiers will deploy to Afghanistan.  The Salina Airport Authority is proud to aid the fighting men and women of Canada as they prepare for combat deployments in support of U.S. and Allied Forces.      

The airport's close proximity to the range is key for this type of training.  Military units get "more bang for their buck," pun intended.  The less time pilots spend in the air getting to the training venue, the more time and fuel, they can spend over it training the guys on the ground and sharpening their own skills as well.

Salina residents shouldn't need worry about any loud bangs though; out on the Smoky Hill Weapons range they will be destroying mock enemies with practice ordnance.  Although "midnight is their noon," they will normally be done by 9 p.m.

The 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron was reformed on 6 July 2006 at 4 Wing Cold Lake by amalgamating personnel and aircraft from 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron and 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The newly reformed 409 Squadron continues the duties of both 416 and 441 Squadrons and, assisted by 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron , deploys tactical fighter forces to meet Canadian and allied defense needs.  Under the umbrella of the NORAD mission, fighter crews are on stand-by 24 hours a day, seven days a week ready to respond to any aerospace threat.

The newly reformed 409 Squadron is now 4 Wing's operational CF-18 Squadron.

Located 10 miles west of Salina, Kan., the Smoky Hill Weapons Range is the largest and busiest Air National Guard bombing range in the nation, encompassing 51 square miles, and has more than 100 tactical targets and an electronic warfare range.  The complex provides approximately 36 thousand acres for combined arms training, allowing active and reserve component military organizations to train jointly in a realistic environment that combines ground and air assets in operational training in a way that's possible at only a few sites throughout the United States.  The Smoky Hill range provides airspace within a Federal Aviation Administration sanctioned Military Operational Area, which permits active and reserve units to operate both piloted and unmanned aircraft in training scenarios.

The Salina Airport Authority has developed the premier airport and industrial center in the Midwest. The board of directors and staff are proactive in providing the citizens of Salina, Saline County and North Central Kansas with a center that support business and industry which in turn, provides jobs and payroll that benefit the region.

The Salina Airport Authority is home to the Salina Municipal Airport, the Salina Aviation Service Center and the Salina Airport Industrial Center.

Quick Links

• Salina Airport Authority
• 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron
• Smoky Hills Weapons Range