408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron ( ) is a unit of 1 Wing , Kingston . It is co - located with 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at Canadian Forces Base ( CFB ) Edmonton . Equipped with 16 CH - 146 Griffon helicopters , it rotates a high combat - readiness level with 400 Squadron ( CFB Borden , Ontario ) and 430 Squadron ( CFB Valcartier , Quebec ) . Its primary role is in support of contingency operations and vanguard brigades requiring tactical helicopter resources . No . 408 Squadron ' s mandate also includes supporting United Nations and NATO peacekeeping operations , land force training , and support to other government departments . For example , 408 Squadron ' s eight Griffons were assigned to support the Canadian contingent in the Balkans in 1999 . Their job was to ferry small teams of paratroopers , infantrymen , and tankers to certain areas to check out water reservoirs , power grids , suspected weapons caches , minefields , and mass grave sites . Given the rough terrain in Bosnia , the squadron proved invaluable for conducting aerial reconnaissance , observation , and transportation . History . No . 408 Squadron ' s history dates back to June 24 , 1941 , when RAF Bomber Command ' s directive called for the formation of 408 Squadron as part of No . 5 Group RAF . It was to be the second Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) bomber squadron formed overseas . Goose Squadron , as it was to become known , was initially based at Lindholm in Yorkshire , England , and equipped with Handley Page Hampden s . During the war , the Goose Squadron converted aircraft several times . No . 408 would change from Hampden aircraft to the Halifax , and then to the Lancaster in August 1943 after moving to RAF Linton - on - Ouse and becoming part of No . 6 Group . It flew 4 , 610 sorties and dropped 11 , 340 tons of bombs . A total of 170 aircraft were lost and 933 personnel were killed , listed as missing in action ( MIA ) or prisoners of war ( POW ) . Squadron members won two hundred decorations , and 11 battle honours for its wartime operations . On September 5 , 1945 , 408 Squadron was officially disbanded . On January 10 , 1949 , Goose Squadron was reformed at RCAF Station Rockcliffe , Ontario . Equipped with eight Lancaster Mark X photographic aircraft , it was tasked with the mapping of Canada , specifically the far North . In 1962 , the squadron formed a flight of Canadair T - 33 aircraft and given the additional task of photo reconnaissance missions in support of Army exercises . On February 29 , 1964 , the Lancaster aircraft were retired and replaced with Dakotas . The Goose Squadron was moved to Rivers , Manitoba , and re - designated as a transport support and area reconnaissance squadron . On May 1 , 1964 , RCAF Station Rivers Transport Support Flight with its C - 119 Boxcars was transferred into 408 Squadron . In 1965 , the Boxcars were replaced by CC - 130 Hercules aircraft . As the decade drew to a close , 408 Squadron was once again redesignated . On October 1 , 1968 , it started its long history with 10 Tactical Air Group as a " Tactical Fighter Squadron " . During this post - war era , the squadron flew seven different aircraft : the Lancaster , Cansos , Norseman , Dakotas , Boxcars , T - 33s , and Hercules aircraft . Late in 1970 , the squadron was once more disbanded . On January 1 , 1971 , 408 Squadron was once again re - activated at Namao in Edmonton , Alberta , as a tactical helicopter squadron ( THS ) and equipped with CH - 135 Twin Huey and CH - 136 Kiowa helicopters . Its primary tasking is to provide tactical aviation to the army . The mission includes air mobile assault , air ambulance , air observation , reconnaissance insertions , troop movement , airborne command and control platform and dropping paratrooper s . In September 1996 , the squadron was re - equipped with CH - 146 Griffon helicopters .