CFB Shearwater (CFB Shearwater)

12 Wing Shearwater is located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia. Established in August 1918 as Naval Air Station Halifax by the United States Navy, the site originally served as a base for anti-submarine air patrols. It is the second-oldest military aerodrome in Canada. Following World War I, the United States gifted the facility to the Canadian government. It subsequently operated under various designations, including Dartmouth Air Station and RCAF Station Dartmouth, supporting aircraft maintenance, aerial photography, and naval cooperation exercises. During World War II, the station continued operations as RCAF Station Dartmouth. The Royal Canadian Navy assumed control of the facility in 1948, renaming it HMCS Shearwater. The station hosted carrier-based maritime patrol and fighter aircraft and conducted early development of ship-borne helicopter operations. In 1968, the facility was renamed CFB Shearwater. Following a reorganization in the mid-1990s, the base was integrated into CFB Halifax, with 12 Wing assuming responsibility for air operations.

The Royal Canadian Air Force operates the facility, which serves as the headquarters for 12 Wing. The primary mission of the wing is to provide maritime helicopter support for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Maritime Forces Atlantic and Maritime Forces Pacific. Units stationed at the facility include 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron, which trains maritime aircrew, and 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, which provides operational support to Atlantic fleet warships. 12 Air Maintenance Squadron provides engineering and aircraft maintenance, while the Helicopter Operational and Test Evaluation Facility conducts equipment research and testing. The site also houses the Regional Cadet Support Unit (Atlantic).

Infrastructure consists of the Shearwater Heliport and the Shearwater Jetty. The heliport includes hangars and maintenance facilities for 12 Wing’s squadrons of Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopters. The Shearwater Jetty provides docking and shore-based infrastructure for the Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic and Royal Canadian Navy warships. It also provides secure berths for visiting NATO vessels, including nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. The facility also hosts the Shearwater Aviation Museum.