A civilian flying clubaerodrome was established on the site south-southwest of Moose Jaw in 1928 by the Moose Jaw Flying Club. Its location surrounded by flat open prairie proved to be an ideal training site.
In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at with a variation of 18 degrees east and elevation of. Six runways were listed as follows:
Runway Name
Length
Width
Surface
13/31
Hard surfaced
13/31
Hard surfaced
8/26
Hard surfaced
8/26
Hard surfaced
2/20
Hard surfaced
2/20
Hard surfaced
RCAF Station Moose Jaw had two relief landing fields. One was located at Buttress, Saskatchewan and one at Burdick. In 1946 RCAF Station Moose Jaw was decommissioned and the aerodrome was returned to civilian service. Because of rising Cold War tensions, the aerodrome was reactivated by the RCAF in 1953 as the site of military pilot training. RCAF Station Moose Jaw undertook additional construction to support its expanded personnel complement. The base was used by the RCAF and its NATO allies for pilot training, using both single-prop World War II-era Harvards and Canadair CT-133 Silver Star jet training aircraft. By the mid-1960s these were both replaced by the Canadian built CT-114 Tutor. jet trainer and the old Moose Jaw control tower in the spring of 1982 The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at RCAF Base Chapel.
CFB Moose Jaw
In 1968 the RCAF merged with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Navy to form the unified Canadian Forces. The base's name was changed to Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, usually shortened to CFB Moose Jaw. From 1968 until the formation of Air Command in 1975, CFB Moose Jaw fell under the direction of Training Command and served to house the Tutor Jet Training Program. By the early 1990s, CFB Moose Jaw was operated by over 1,300 employees and made a significant economical impact on the region, but pending cutbacks in military spending spread rumours of possible closure of the base. In 1994, the Government of Canada awarded Bombardier with a 20-year contract to support the delivery of what is now the NFTCNATO Flying Training in Canada program. Many of the base's structures were renovated to accommodate new personnel and new training aircraft. Pilots from Denmark, Singapore, Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Finland and many other allied nations train at CFB Moose Jaw every year, ensuring the base's future with the Canadian Forces. In 2015, Bombardier sold its NFTC contract to CAE who are currently the prime contractor. s belonging to 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School parked on the ramp at CFB Moose Jaw, 1982 From 1970 until its disbandment in 1993 Moose Jaw had a Base Rescue Flight flying three CH-118 Huey helicopters. During a reorganization at AIRCOM in the late 1990s, CFB Moose Jaw's various AIRCOM units were placed under a new primary lodger unit called "15 Wing"; consequently the base is now referred to as 15 Wing Moose Jaw.
Current operations
15 Wing Moose Jaw is home to the following units:
15 Wing/NFTC Headquarters
2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School, who execute the NFTC program in partnership with CAE
