RCAF Centennial: Interview with Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny

Aug 08, 2024
Canadiana
5 minute read

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny is the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. On a special visit to our Ottawa facility this past winter, he participated in a behind-the-scenes tour and got an up-close look at our new RCAF Centennial coin collection.

In this exclusive interview, he shares his thoughts on the RCAF Centennial, the future of Canada’s air force, and the excitement surrounding our exclusive coin collaboration. Read the full conversation below!

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny striking a coin

Royal Canadian Mint (RCM): Can you please introduce yourself and tell us where you are right now and what you’re doing?

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny (LGEK): I'm Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny. I'm the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. I took over in August of 2022, and I have the privilege and honour to be able to command the aviators of the Royal Canadian Air Force—18,000 strong at this stage.

Today, we had a tour of the Mint in Ottawa. We were able to go down and see how you initially refine silver and gold, and then how you work your way to striking the coins. Today we struck a coin [which] showcases our tartan, as well as aircraft from the past and present. And then I had the chance to strike the F-35 coin. The F-35 coin [represents] the future of our Royal Canadian Air Force. And finally, I had a chance to strike a silver coin. What impressed me the most was the skill—the craftsmanship—that goes into the coins, and the enthusiasm from all the staff that work here.

RCM: What does it mean to the RCAF to have its first 100 years of history celebrated on a coin?

LGEK: Being partnered with the Royal Canadian Mint to put in production 100 years of the Royal Canadian Air Force is a real honour and privilege, and a partnership that I don't think we often get. You know, there are many organizations throughout Canada that would wish to have their centennial or special anniversaries recognized, but not everyone gets that opportunity. So to have that—working with the Mint—will mean now not only do we have this year to recognize the 100th anniversary, but [also] many years in the future with those that collect the coins.

RCM: The F-35 is on its way! Can you tell us about this new aircraft and the impact it will have on the RCAF? Why is the F-35 so important for Canada?

LGEK: In January of 2023, our government announced that we're purchasing 88 F-35s. We're actually receiving the F-35 A Model Block Four. This is an aircraft that many of our allies are flying, but one of which is the most modern fighter aircraft available to any nation at this time. It's going to represent the cornerstone of our role as an air force of the future. It is an aircraft that takes intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance information, and uses that to feed to the pilots that'll be flying it to ensure their survivability, but also to give them the situational awareness to be able to deter our adversaries and, if required, to fight and win. It's going to be what we'll use for NORAD operations and NATO operations. They will really ensure the security of Canada and North America, and be used around the world.

[It’s] a very exciting time. We're receiving our first four F-35s in 2026, so we're just over two years away from receiving our first F-35. It's coming very quickly. Those [first F-35s] will be launched down in the U.S., which is where we'll do our pilot training, and we are looking forward to receiving them in Canada around 2028 and then a full capability in early 2030s. It's replacing our CF-18, which has been a hallmark of our fighter force and our Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Air Force for four decades now. I’m looking forward to seeing the F-35s come into place.

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny striking coin

RCM: What does it mean to you to see the F-35 on a coin?

LGEK: As I was talking to my team about the RCAF Centennial and what we can do to celebrate our past, present, and future, we talked about the partnership we have with the Mint. I said, “Is there any possibility we can get the F-35 onto a coin? We just made the announcement. The government just signed a contract for the F-35 and I see it as a key aspect of our future force.”

To have the F-35 on a coin means that we're showcasing the future of the Royal Canadian Air Force. And, of course, that comes with many other aspects within our overall aviation force, but it's one of the things that will propel us forward—and that future is very bright. And I saw the very bright coin, so I think that's going to be a fantastic aspect to showcase to many Canadians and to our members as well.

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny holds $20 Silver RCAF Centennial coin

RCM: What message would you most like to share with Canadians as the RCAF marks its centennial?

LGEK: April of 2024 will be 100 years for the Royal Canadian Air Force. We started from very humble beginnings, and in the Second World War we were the fourth largest allied air force in the world. And now, we have 18,000 members who work to protect Canada.

What we want to do for a 100th anniversary, which is being celebrated over a one-year period, is commemorate our past, recognize those who have come before us, showcase our current aviators and what they're doing, and then inspire the future. The future is both air and space. We have two astronauts, Colonel Jeremy Hansen and Colonel Josh Kutryk—who are Royal Canadian Air Force pilots and with the Canadian Space Agency—both of whom will be going up into space in the next two years; one flying around the moon and one on the International Space Station.

It's a really exciting time for the Royal Canadian Air Force as we move forward in this significant modernization effort. And [these coins], as well as all the other centennial aspects that we're working [on] with the Mint, will highlight that past, present, and future.

RCM: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

LGEK: There’s one thing that's always been the foundation of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and that's our people. If you look at our history, we have always had very professional, dedicated, and skilled aviators—and they continue to serve today. And I know that our future is bright because those aviators of the future will show that same passion as we move forward.

The future is very bright, and I'm reminded every day that we can't do this without our people.

Discover how we’re commemorating 100 years of aviation excellence with our RCAF Centennial coin collection.

Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny holds RCAF Centennial Proof Dollar

Transcript edited for clarity.

Royal Canadian Air Force intellectual property used courtesy of the Department of National Defence.