Registration Number: 1159

5 Wing Goose Bay Military Use of Air Defence Countermeasures Chaff

Proponent: Department of National Defence

Summary of Environmental Assessment Process

Project Description:

The proponent proposes to use chaff at 5 Wing Goose Bay for aircrew training in Air Defence Countermeasures. This represents an individual element within an overall training activity, which has already been approved under a previous Federal Environmental Panel Review process for the Department of National Defence in 1994. Radio frequency chaff consists of extremely small strands of an aluminium-coated crystalline silica core and is deployed from aircraft. Chaff is used to counter radar-controlled systems. These systems can be either air-based (opposing aircraft with missiles and guns) or ground based (surface-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft artillery). DND assumes that about half of the total sorties flown (or 2,500) would deploy radio frequency chaff. The use of chaff in air defence countermeasures is tentatively scheduled to begin once the Provincial environmental assessment is completed.

  • October 8, 2004 – The undertaking was registered.
  • November 19, 2004 – Public comments are due.
  • November 22, 2004 – The Minister releases the project from further environmental assessment subject to one condition.

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