Certain flights are made by the United States Air Force over the Canadian Archipelago for navigational training and indoctrination in polar flying. This work has been combined under the project known as Polaris, which is the current authority for the United States Air Force to overfly Canadian territory. This project is nearing completion and flights associated with it will be of decreasing frequency. In order to obtain the necessary training, the United States Air Force has requested that they be authorized to clear aircraft from Alaskan bases for flights over the Canadian Archipelago at an average estimated at two flights a week. These flights are for the express purpose of:

(a) navigational training;

(b) operational experience in the Arctic;

(c) determine navigational difficulties and procedures for overcoming same;

(d) further investigate the reliability of communications;

(e) further our knowledge of polar air masses; and

(f) continue study of air mass circulation in polar regions.

2. The ultimate objective of the U.S.A.F. Training Programrne is to train the maximum number of air crews in conditions to be encountered while flying in the Arctic areas. To achieve this training, units of the U.S.A.F. are deployed to Alaska on temporary duty for periods varying in duration from two weeks to six months throughout the year. One of the primary differences between high latitude flying and flying in the tropical and temperate zones is the method of air navigation in the area where the effects of magnetic variation are most pronounced. This area, of course, centres over the Canadian Archipelago.

3. It is understood from United States sources that the U.S.A.F. would be most happy to have Canadian observers accompany any or all such flights over Canadian territory and that photographs and other data collected as a result of these flights would be available to Canada.

4. The principle of reciprocal flights over each other's territory has been recognized by the governments of both countries in the public announcements of the Prime Minister and the President, based on the Permanent Joint Board on Defence recommendation of November 20th, 1946. We feel, however, after consultation with the Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs and the Secretary to the Cabinet, that the proposal to carry out these particular flights on a regular basis should be reported to the Canadian Government.

5. We therefore recommend that authorization for these flights be given to the Armed Forces of the United States with the proviso that Canada reserves the right to include its observers on any or all flights that cross Canadian territory and will require duplicate negatives of all photographs taken and copies of other data that may be collected as a result of such flights.³⁰

O.M. SOLANDT
Chairman, Defence Research Board
VICE-ADMIRAL H.T.W. GRANT
Chief of the Naval Staff
AIR MARSHAL W.A. CURTIS
Chief of the Air Staff
LIEUT.-GENERAL C. FOULKES
Chief of the General Staff, Chairman

³⁰Approuvée par le CDC 1e 3 mars.
Approved by CDC on March 3.