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CFB Edmonton

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CFB Edmonton

Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, commonly referred to as CFB Edmonton is a Canadian Forces base in Sturgeon County adjacent to the City of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Edmonton Garrison or "Steele Barracks", and listed in the Canada Flight Supplement as "Edmonton/Namao Heliport".

The history of CFB Edmonton begins at an airfield called Blatchford Field, a few kilometres south from where CFB Edmonton would eventually be established. The airfield was established in 1927 as a private and commercial interest by bush pilots, with support from the mayor of Edmonton, airfield namesake Kenny Blatchford, opening a few months after he ended his term as mayor with his election as a member of Parliament representing the city. The airfield became important to the opening up and development of the Canadian north, while also cementing Edmonton's place as the "Gateway to the North".

During the Second World War, Blatchford Field became a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) training station under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. No. 16 Elementary Flying Training School (No. 16 EFTS) and No. 2 Air Observers School (No. 2 AOS) used the aerodrome. The RCAF also ran No. 4 Initial Training School (No. 4 ITS) which was a ground school at the University of Alberta. No. 16 EFTS closed in 1942, and No. 2 AOS closed in 1944. After No. 2 AOS closed, the station formally became known as RCAF Station Edmonton. Many RCAF squadrons and units were located here, including a survival school and the RCAF Winter Experimental Establishment (WEE). A United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-29 bomber detachment also used the station.

During the war, the airfield was a major factor in supporting the Allies of World War II, becoming a staging point for the U.S. defence of Alaska, as well as a major waypoint of the Northwest Staging Route supplying equipment and aircraft to the Soviet military. Aircraft had to be ferried, and transport aircraft used the aerodrome to support the construction of the Alaska Highway. Air traffic increased significantly, and flying activities were becoming hazardous. Since the old airfield could not be expanded because of its proximity to the city of Edmonton, the U.S. Government built a new air facility at Namao, about 11 km (6.8 mi) north of the city. The United States Army Corps of Engineers built two runways at the base, 03/21 and 12/30, both 2,100 m (6,890 ft) long and Canada's longest at the time. The Americans ran the Namao airfield until the end of the war when the Canadian government took it over. With time, RCAF Station Edmonton also developed severe limitations at Blatchford, and on 1 October 1955 all RCAF Squadrons and support units were transferred to the "new" RCAF Station Namao. Blatchford Field was turned over to the Edmonton municipal government and became the commercial Edmonton City Centre (Blatchford Field) Airport.

During the Cold War, RCAF Station Namao was used by the United States Strategic Air Command, which constructed a "nose dock" for servicing the nose and wings of heavy jet bombers and tankers on the south side of the airfield. The station also hosted the Edmonton Rescue Coordination Centre, and served as home base for UN Food Aid flights, delivering aid to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Bosnia. Because Namao at that time had a 4,200-metre (13,780 ft) runway, 12/30, NASA designated it an emergency Space Shuttle landing site.

In 1968, when Canada's armed services were amalgamated, RCAF Station Namao was re-designated Canadian Forces Base Edmonton (Lancaster Park) and was under command of the new Air Transport Command and later Air Command.

Federal budget cuts forced the command of the air station to be transferred to Land Force Command in 1994. CFB Edmonton (Lancaster Park)/18 Wing Edmonton was re-designated CFB Edmonton.

Although both runways are still visible they are no longer in use except for a 148 ft × 492 ft (45 m × 150 m) section of 03/21 used by helicopters.

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