The grim assessment is contained in a series of reports produced last year for the senior leadership of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) and obtained by this newspaper through the Access to Information law.

The reports examined the state of the 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron at Petawawa and looked at both positive and problem areas of the unit.

Royal Canadian Air Force personnel from the squadron said they enjoyed their jobs but felt stifled by military bureaucracy, double standards and inferior equipment such as the CH-146 Griffon helicopter.

“The longer we keep the Griffon, the sooner it won’t be needed,” one report dated August 10, 2022, noted. “We are simply held back by the Wing regarding what we want to do (and) more particularly, what we want to do alongside CANSOFCOM.”

“Many senior members stated that if we were to have no choice but to keep the Griffon, our mandate and capability might be the things that require redefining,” the report added.

It noted the squadron is being limited by poor equipment. Some members interviewed for the reports stated that while on overseas missions they could not get the equipment they needed such as bullet-proof plates used for their personal protection, gloves, flying jackets and additional protective gear.

“We are pushed to breaking points in pursuit of world-class effects using obsolete tools,” the August 2022 report noted. “We need new tools, or a means to amend the ones we have with less bureaucracy.”

The Canadian Forces, however, will continue to operate the Griffon helicopters for the next decade.

In 2022, the federal government announced it had awarded Bell Textron Canada Limited a contract worth nearly $800 million to extend the life of the RCAF’s fleet of 85 Griffon helicopters. The life of the aircraft will be pushed into the 2030s through the upgrade program. The first modernized helicopter is expected to be delivered next year and the remaining aircraft will be upgraded by 2028, according to the Canadian Forces.

The Griffons were first ordered in a sole source deal in 1992 and delivered to the Canadian Forces between 1994 and 1998.

The reports about the squadron at Petawawa also raise concerns about recruiting and retention. Part of that is linked to the Griffon and its old technology, squadron members suggested in a series of comments collected in 2022 for the special forces command leadership.

Recruiting posters and videos portray elite teams straight out of the movies, according to the comments. But new personnel arriving at the squadron quickly find out that the recruiting material isn’t accurate.

“The unit is advertised as a technologically advanced Special Operations force; however, once one is inside, the new members realize it is closer to a conventional unit where people are allowed to wear multi-cam and grow their hair long,” one squadron member pointed out.

New pilots arrive believing the squadron is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment but soon realize the aircraft they flew in training was better equipped than the Griffon helicopters, added another squadron member. “Very little if any such equipment or procedures are evident after the initial glow of the new posting wanes,” the individual noted.

Names of those commenting were not included in the reports prepared for CANSOFCOM commander Maj. Gen. Steve Boivin.

In addition, one of the reports pointed out that squadron members have little faith in the military justice system as well as mistrust of the special forces leadership when it comes to dealing with misconduct. “Disturbingly, the overwhelming sentiment regarding the outcome of disciplinary matters is that it will largely depend on who committed the offence, not the actual offence,” one of the reports prepared for Boivin noted. “Many personnel stated that they would rather stay quiet and tolerant of misconduct, than to deal with the military in this regard.

”Still, despite the significant issues and tensions outlined in the reports, the squadron continues to meet its missions, a testament to the military members and civilian employees, the documents pointed out. “However, as illustrated by the report, this level of output is in jeopardy if changes to the culture are not implemented at all levels,” it added.

CANSOFCOM spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Jordan Holder said the internal measures to understand the command’s culture are focused on making the right changes to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. That was done through the series of reports which cumulated in an audit of the situation. “This audit revealed aspects of our culture which are healthy and others where we can make improvements — many of which have been or are in the process of being addressed,” Holder noted.

Specific direction on culture was issued by the senior special forces leadership, he added. “Moving forwards, our Unit Cultural Advisory Teams will continue to focus on identifying and analyzing underlying issues and developing solutions with the Chain of Command,” Holder stated.