People of the Passage
February 2026

Photo: Major Jessica Johnson watches from the open helicopter door as pre-flight checks are done for CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, Avalanche, as it prepares for takeoff onboard HMCS Ville de Québec, while sailing as part of the UK-led Carrier Strike Group, during Op HORIZON, in the Banda Sea, on 06 July 2025. Photo by Corporal Brendan Gamache, Formation Imaging Services

by Gail Haarsma—Major Jessica Johnson, an Air Combat Systems Officer at 12 Wing Shearwater, recently joined the small group of people who can say they have circumnavigated the globe. 

She did this as part of 12 Wing’s mission to provide ‘Wings for the Fleet’ by supplying CH-148 Cyclones, and crews, for Royal Canadian Navy ships. 

Major Johnson recently returned from a seven-month deployment with a Helicopter Air Detachment on HMCS Ville de Québec and sat down with The Beacon to talk about her experiences.

“During my seven-month deployment, I left Halifax and circumnavigated the globe—through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Indo-Pacific region, Hawaii, through the Panama Canal and back to Halifax,” explains Major Johnson. “It was an honour to be chosen for this deployment and to be the detachment commander.”

As helicopter detachment commander, Johnson was responsible for a helicopter air detachment—nine air crew and 12 maintainers—aboard HMCS Ville de Québec. Her role included mission planning and execution,  and training of the helicopter air detachment.

“We joined the United Kingdom’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, which included numerous ships representing 13 partner nations,” noted Johnson. “We contributed to  Operation REASSURANCE, supporting NATO forces in the Mediterranean, Operation AMARNA in the Red Sea/Middle East, and Operation HORIZON in the Indo-Pacific.”

During the mission, those involved conducted exercises to demonstrate the interoperability of helicopter air detachments with allied navies. Other ships in the task group also carried helicopters, and Johnson said it was valuable to work alongside them. Representatives from Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the U.K. and the U.S. came aboard HMCS Ville de Québec.

Johnson said one of the most significant lessons from the deployment was the importance of early integration with other levels of command.

“Given the air force is separate from the navy, when you add a helo on a ship at the last moment, it’s important to work together right away to outline operational tasks.”

As with any deployment, there were obstacles to overcome. While weather was not an issue—there were no storms and the seas were relatively calm—aircraft servicing and parts availability posed some challenges.

“People are happier when they’re doing their jobs. When we weren’t flying, we held fitness classes on the ship. It was great to have everyone on the team participate. Our fitness instructor eventually had to leave, and others stepped in to keep it going,” said Johnson. “It’s important to keep as consistent a schedule as possible, keep people informed of what is going on with regular communications, and we did that.”

Johnson also spoke with The Beacon about the challenges families face at home during deployments. She explained that her spouse is also in the military.

“I’ve been on both sides of this equation, and it’s way harder to be the one at home than the one away. It’s tough not being there to support our families. We’ve had neighbours reach out and help, and it was very much appreciated.”

Support from the broader community has included help with yard work and snow clearing, meals dropped off from time to time, coffee outings for the stay-at-home partner, child care, and regular check-ins.

No interview with a member of the Canadian Armed Forces would be complete without asking about her experience as a woman in the military.

Johnson initially joined as an army reservist for a summer job. After two years, she applied to the Royal Military College and later became an aeronautical engineer and air navigator, working in mission systems and tactical direction. She said her career progression required determination and persistence.

“Women are put in certain roles, and they work harder to prove they are there for their skills and competency, and not to fill a quota,” states Johnson. “When I joined the military 20 years ago, the sentiment was that women had no place in the military as operators. There has been a shift in how women are perceived, and we are supported, celebrated and not judged, although there is still room for improvement.”

Returning home in November after a seven-month deployment, Major Jessica Johnson was detachment commander aboard HMCS Ville de Québec, with 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force at Shearwater—and she is part of our community.