Bob Mackin
Beneath the clouds on the morning of Oct. 28: typical, late-fall Metro Vancouver weather.
Above the clouds: Royal Canadian Air Force and United States Air Force jets trained for FIFA World Cup 26.
What’s up?
A United States Air Force tanker, like this one, refuelled Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18s above Vancouver on Oct. 28. (USAF/Matthew Seefeldt)
On an open source flight tracking website, theBreaker.news spotted a Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker (57-1439) over the North Shore at 23,000 feet around 7 a.m. The flight originated from Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) in Spokane, Wash., and eventually travelled in a counterclockwise pattern between Grouse Mountain and Point Roberts, Wash.
That’s what
Michael Dougherty, a public affairs specialist with the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Region, told theBreaker.news that it was part of Amalgam Eagle 25, the annual live-fly exercise involving the U.S. Northern Command and the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense.
“Normally it is a bilateral event between the U.S. and Mexico. However, this year is unique in that Canada is participating and we are all working together to prepare for ensuring airspace security over the 16 cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty said two RCAF CF-18 Hornet fighter jets departed from Canadian Forces Base Comox, refuelled from the USAF Stratotanker and returned to Comox.
Tri-nation co-operation
Two RCAF CF-18s from Comox were part of the FIFA World Cup training exercise on Oct. 28 above Vancouver. (RCAF)
Dougherty said airspace between Vancouver and Seattle was part of the two-day exercise, involving six scenarios. Other venues include airspace between Toronto and Toledo, Ohio, and Monterrey, Mexico and Houston, Texas. Davis-Monthan AFB, near Tucson, Az., is the venue for a search and rescue component.
“It’s grown in size, and with the addition of Canada, we’ve added some additional scenarios,” Dougherty said. “It’s great that we’re all able to work together for the first time.”
Coming in 26
Seven matches between June 13-July 7 are coming to B.C. Place Stadium and a fan festival viewing party in Hastings Park for the entire June 11-July 19 tournament.
Vancouver will also host the only FIFA event in North America during the World Cup year that features all 211 member nations: the 76th Congress at the end of April in the Vancouver Convention Centre.
The overall price tag for safety and security at FIFA World Cup 26 in Vancouver and Toronto has not been announced. The federal government’s long-awaited budget is Nov. 4.
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