Exif II* S ( 1 $ 2 ; - ? i X English/Anglais IS2010-3036-3 11 November 2010 Kandahar Afghanistan Members of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air wing salute to Canada’s National Anthem during Remembrance Day ceremonies. Despite a busy schedule, members took the time to remember the sacrifices of those who came before them and their comrades. The Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing - know in Afghanistan as “Task Force Silver Dart” — comprises all the Canadian Forces air assets in the southwest Asia theatre of operations. It stood up at Kandahar Airfield on 6 December 2008 with the 200 personnel then deployed with the Tactical UAV Flight, the Tactical Aviation Unit and the Theatre Support Element, and grew to its established strength of 450 personnel with the purchase of CH-147 Chinook D helicopters from the U.S. Army, and the deployment from Canada of CU-170 Heron UAVs and CH-146 Griffon helicopters. The Wing’s helicopters transport troops and cargo, thus reducing the requirement for ground convoys that expose troops to ambushes, land mines and improvised explosive devices. Its Heron UAVs are leased as an interim measure to provide long-range, high-quality intelligence-gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) capabilities in support of ground operations in Afghanistan while the project to acquire a long-term joint UAV continues in Canada Operation ATHENA is Canada’s participation in the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan. Focused on Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan since the fall of 2005, Op ATHENA has one over-arching objective: to leave Afghanistan to Afghans, in a country that is better governed, more peaceful and more secure. Photo: Corporal Shilo Adamson, Canadian Forces Combat Camera. © 2010 DND-MDN Canada NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3 - ' - ' Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.5 (Windows) 2017:10:31 09:15:54 Cpl Shilo Adamson © 2010 DND-MDN Canada $ " ' 0230 2 F N V ^ f 75 n 1 v 2 ~ 4 2010:11:11 11:06:14 2010:12:20 10:24:54 ` @B 2015721 F 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 ( H H Adobe_CM Adobe d j " ? 3 !1AQa"q2B#$Rb34rC%Scs5&DTdE£t6UeuF'Vfv7GWgw 5 !1AQaq"2B#R3$brCScs4%&5DTdEU6teuFVfv'7GWgw ? >mlW66P1-lIHv'AV6$~Cv* jKQ`44p y"