12 Wing Shearwater
12 Wing is the home to the Maritime Helicopter community and centre of naval aviation in Canada. Home of the state-of-the art, combat capable CH-148 Cyclone, 12 Wing is responsible for providing maritime helicopter support to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) with Helicopter Air Detachments (HELAIRDETS) for missions at home and around the globe. 12 Wing headquarters are in Shearwater, Nova Scotia.
12 Wing Shearwater includes 12 Air Maintenance Squadron (AMS), 423 Maritime Helicopter (MH) Squadron, 406 Maritime (M) Operational Training Squadron, and 443 Maritime Helicopter (MH) Squadron operating out of 12 Wing Patricia Bay, British Columbia.
Personnel and aircraft are deployed around the world primarily as part of HELAIRDETs that deploy with RCN ships on the east (423 MH Squadron) and west coasts. While deployed with the RCN the personnel integrate as part of the ship’s crew and the embarked helicopter acts as an extension of the ship which enhances and extends its sensor and weapons delivery capability.
History
Shearwater’s history reflects the evolution of flying in Canada and indeed the growth of Canada’s Air Force. 12 Wing Shearwater celebrated its 100th Anniversary as an air base in 2018 and is one of the oldest military airfields in Canada, second only to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden.
Read more about the history of 12 Wing Shearwater.
Squadrons
- 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron
- 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron
- 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron (at Patricia Bay)
- 12 Air Maintenance Squadron
- 12 Wing Air Reserve Flight
Equipment

Supra Mare Volamus
(We fly over the sea)
Command team

Colonel James Hawthorne

CWO Bruno Poirier
Wing news

National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces – COVID-19
The latest information and resources for military and civilian members of the Defence Team related to the rapidly evolving 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the steps being taken to minimize the risk to our military and civilian members.
March 19, 2020

Join the RCAF - Dare to be extraordinary
Join the RCAF - Dare to be extraordinary
February 1, 2020

Captain Paige Campbell, RCAF Female Athlete of the Year, goes far taking part in CAF sports
Captain Paige Campbell, an Air Combat Systems Officer with 442 Squadron, at 19 Wing Comox, was nominated RCAF Female Athlete of the Year.
January 15, 2021

Master Corporal Gabriel Auclair, RCAF Male Athlete of the Year, shows that there is more to weightlifting than physical strength
Master Corporal Gabriel Auclair, a 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron Aviation Technician based at 12 Wing Shearwater, Nova Scotia, was nominated RCAF Male Athlete of the Year.
January 13, 2021

Master Warrant Officer Edward Hebb appointed as member of the Order of Military Merit
Governor General Julie Payette recently appointed Master Warrant Officer Edward Hebb as member of the Order of Military Merit for his dedicated service since his enrollment in 1998.
January 11, 2021
Contact information
12 Wing Shearwater
PO Box 99000 Stn Forces
Halifax NS B3K 5X5
Phone: 902-720-1996
Fax: 902-720-2045
Email: 12WPublicAffairs@forces.gc.ca