Canada has received the first Airbus H135 helicopter for its Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program, marking an important milestone in the modernization of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilot training.
The aircraft is the first of 19 H135 helicopters being supplied under a contract signed in November 2024 between Airbus and SkyAlyne, the prime contractor overseeing the FAcT initiative. In RCAF service, the helicopter will operate under the designation CT-153 Juno and is equipped with Airbus’ Helionix avionics system. The platform will support a broad range of training activities, including initial flight instruction, advanced instrument flight training, and tactical mission preparation.
The CT-153 Juno fleet will be based at 15 Wing Southport and operated by the 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School, one of the RCAF’s principal aviation training centers. Deliveries of the remaining helicopters are scheduled to continue through 2028.
As part of Canada’s pilot training modernization efforts, SkyAlyne—a joint venture between CAE and KF Aerospace—was selected to manage the FAcT program in July 2023 and subsequently awarded a 25-year contract valued at $11.2 billion in May 2024.
The initiative will replace existing training services currently provided by CAE Military Aviation Training in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and Allied Wings in Southport, Manitoba, both of which are expected to conclude by 2027. Additionally, the program will assume responsibility for training air combat systems officers and airborne electronic sensor operators previously trained internally by the RCAF.
To support its mission, the FAcT program is procuring more than 70 aircraft across five fleets, including Airbus CT-153 Juno helicopters, Grob G 120TP trainers, Pilatus PC-21 aircraft, Textron Beechcraft King Air 260 utility aircraft, and De Havilland Dash 8-400 platforms.
