Denmark will sign a memorandum of understanding at the Show today to become the first international customer for a new pilot training scheme based in Canada. Details are due to be agreed between the Hon. Art Eggleton, Canada's Minister of National Defence, and the Hon. Hans Haekkerup, his Danish counterpart.

The MoU, worth some $250 million, covers an annual intake of six students over the next 20 years. Instruction will be under the NATO Flying Training in Canada venture which is managed by a civilian team of contractors, led by Bombardier Services. NTFC has recently placed orders for its new equipment, which will comprise Raytheon T-6A based at Moose Jaw for basic training and BAe Hawk Mk 115s at both that base and at Cold Lake for the advanced and fighter lead-in phases.

Interestingly, while the T-6A is known as the Texan II to the USAF and U.S. Navy, Canada's Department of National Defence has announced that it is considering the name Harvard II to reflect the fact that the original North American AT-6 was known by the RAF name of Harvard within the British Commonwealth.

By Paul Jackson