Program directory · National Defence
Ready Air and Space Forces
- Department
- National Defence
- Program code
- BUO04 (ND)
- Core responsibility
- Ready Forces
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Ready Air and Space Forces program generates, sustains and renews combat effective, multi-purpose aerospace forces and capabilities that are ready for operations. The program is deliberately organized to ensure that members of the Royal Canadian Air Force are trained and adequately equipped, which allows the Royal Canadian Air Force to be scalable, agile, responsive and interoperable both domestically with civil authorities and other Government Departments, and internationally with allies and partners.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready Air and Space Forces | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $13.6B |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Indicators dropped: % of time Aerospace force elements remain ready. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2020-21 | Spending $2.17B, against $1.67B in 2019-20 (+30%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2022-23 | Indicators added: % of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements in support of concurrent operations | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Indicators dropped: % of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training, readiness, and operational requirements | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2023-24 | Spending $2.51B, against $1.89B in 2022-23 (+33%). | Actual spending (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Indicators added: % of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training, readiness, and operational requirements | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2024-25 | Indicators dropped: % of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements in support of concurrent operations | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators added: % of Search and Rescue (SAR) Force Elements that meet force posture and readiness requirements | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
% of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training, readiness, and operational requirements
Expected result: Royal Canadian Air Force fleets are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 85% | 2019 | 79.1% The availability and serviceability rates of all aircraft fleets are monitored and reported on a monthly basis through a formalized process to ensure the readiness and the effective delivery of operations. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has implemented “Get Well” programmes for CF-18 Fighter and CP-140 Long Range Patrol fleets to resolve serviceability and availability issues. The CC-144 Cha… | Not met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 85% | 2020 | 60.8% The deviation from the target has resulted from an operationally-focused interpretation of the definitions for “available” and “serviceable” as they apply to aircraft in the measurement formula. Under this context, the indicator better aligns internal Royal Canadian Air Force measurement strategies with external reporting of results. Given the cyclical nature of preventative aircraft maintenance,… | Not met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 85% | 2021 | 55% FY 2020-21 saw an overall drop in serviceability of 5.8%, driven mainly by the lower serviceability of the CT-114 Tutor and CF-188 Hornet fleets. The CT-114 went through a three-month Operational Pause following the crash in July 2020, during which time the serviceability was reported as zero. This resulted in an annual serviceability drop of 17.6% for the CT-114. In addition to this, the CF-188… | Not met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 85% | 2022 | 43% The Royal Canadian Air Force continues to evolve its reporting framework to reflect the complexity of aerospace operations. A refinement of the metric was put in place to better reflect aerospace operations. As such, with this refined metric, previous years’ results are: 51% (FY 2018-19), 51% (FY 2019-20), 45% (FY 2020-21). As was the case in FY 2020-21, COVID-19 work restrictions impacted servic… | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 85% | 2023 | 43.9% The RCAF was unable to meet its overall serviceability target due to ongoing personnel shortages, introduction of new fleets and aging fleets and inadequate maintenance infrastructure. · Personnel shortages: CAF/DND is reporting a continuing decrease of qualified aircraft technicians due to delays in the training system during COVID, scarcity of qualified workforce in the Canadian aerospace indus… | Not met |
% of time Air and Space force elements met Force Posture & Readiness requirements
Expected result: Air and Space force elements meet Force Posture and Readiness (FP&R) requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 85% | 2019 | 86.7% | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 85% | 2020 | 85.7% | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 85% | 2022 | 85.3% | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 85% | 2023 | 72.6% The RCAF was unable to meet its overall readiness target due to ongoing personnel shortages, supply chain issues and fleet transition challenges. · Personnel shortages: CAF/DND is reporting continuing shortages of qualified technicians and aircrew staff. · Supply chain issues: there have been ongoing delays in obtaining aircraft parts since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. · Fleet transition… | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 85% | 2024 | 81.6% DND/CAF continues to report results annually to ensure public transparency and accurately reflect the CAF's state. The target date is set to maintain this transparency and publish results on GC Infobase. DND/CAF acknowledges it cannot meet its targets until new fleets for the RCAF are delivered through ongoing procurement projects. In FY 2023-24, the RCAF did not meet its FP&R targets due to seve… | Not met |
% of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements in support of concurrent operations
Expected result: Royal Canadian Air Force fleets are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | ≥ 85% | 2023 | 43.9% The RCAF was unable to meet its overall serviceability target due to ongoing personnel shortages, introduction of new fleets and aging fleets and inadequate maintenance infrastructure. Personnel shortages: CAF/DND is reporting a continuing decrease of qualified aircraft technicians due to delays in the training system during COVID, scarcity of qualified workforce in the Canadian aerospace industr… | Not met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 85% | 2024 | 48.9% In FY 2023-24, the Royal Canadian Air Force did not meet its aerospace key fleet serviceability target. Several factors contributed to the low serviceability results, including scheduled maintenance activities, a limited number of qualified technicians, and the ongoing transition from legacy platforms to new capabilities. | Not met |
% of time Aerospace force elements remain ready.
Expected result: Aerospace force elements remain ready.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | ≥ 85% | 2019 | 95.6% | Met |
| 2019-20 | ≥ 85% | 2020 | 92.5% | Met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
No indicators in the 2026-27 plan.
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
% of aerospace key fleets that are serviceable to meet training, readiness, and operational requirements
Expected result: Royal Canadian Air Force fleets are serviceable to meet training and readiness requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 85% | 2036 | — | Planned |
% of Search and Rescue (SAR) Force Elements that meet force posture and readiness requirements
Expected result: Air and Space force elements meet Force Posture and Readiness (FP&R) requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 90% | 2032 | — | Planned |
% of time Air and Space force elements met Force Posture & Readiness requirements
Expected result: Air and Space force elements meet Force Posture and Readiness (FP&R) requirements
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 85% | 2032 | — | Planned |
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $1.34B | $1.52B |
| 2019-20 | $1.55B | $1.67B |
| 2020-21 | $1.68B | $2.17B |
| 2021-22 | $1.73B | $1.75B |
| 2022-23 | $1.71B | $1.89B |
| 2023-24 | $1.82B | $2.51B |
| 2024-25 | $2.04B | $2.06B |
| 2025-26 | $2.03B | — |
| 2026-27 | $2.41B | — |
| 2027-28 | $2.42B* | — |
| 2028-29 | $2.49B* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 8,344 | 9,560 |
| 2019-20 | 9,523 | 9,981 |
| 2020-21 | 10,137 | 9,947 |
| 2021-22 | 11,088 | 9,595 |
| 2022-23 | 9,679 | 10,136 |
| 2023-24 | 9,498 | 9,809 |
| 2024-25 | 9,375 | 9,969 |
| 2025-26 | 9,534 | — |
| 2026-27 | 11,049 | — |
| 2027-28 | 11,269* | — |
| 2028-29 | 11,485* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $1,342,145,795 | $1,355,442,125 | $1,380,495,111 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $1,546,867,363 | $1,590,542,204 | $1,652,998,874 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $1,675,332,585 | $1,674,202,777 | $1,711,271,185 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $1,733,276,544 | $1,759,326,043 | $1,811,529,300 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $1,706,725,551 | $1,708,422,502 | $1,735,060,880 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $1,823,665,779 | $1,803,487,946 | $1,845,594,419 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $2,037,593,900 | $2,021,271,994 | $2,050,330,276 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $2,027,473,184 | $1,965,199,837 | $1,990,627,216 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $2,408,537,921 | $2,424,919,508 | $2,492,461,749 | ||||||||
| Actual | $1,524,538,111 | $1,671,621,155 | $2,168,139,604 | $1,749,744,965 | $1,888,041,514 | $2,509,662,154 | $2,061,248,322 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
