Yellowknife, N.W.T. - The Royal Canadian Air Force will be invading Yellowknife this summer, but there's no need to worry.

The air force announced on May 4 that it will be launching Operation Northern Reach, an outreach program that will bring several components of the Canadian Forces Fleet to the North.

Major Steve Thompson, the special events co-ordinator for the 1 Canadian Air Division out of Winnipeg, said one of every type of aircraft will be on its way, including perhaps the most famous fleet of all.

"We're going to be bringing the world renown Snowbirds, the Canadian Forces CF-18 demo team and a variety of... pretty much at least one of every other type of aircraft we have in the CF fleet," said Thompson.

While showcasing the fleet of 24 aircraft is one part of the operation, Thompson said there is a technical aspect to it as well.

"We want to be able to come up to north of 60 and exercise our capabilities in a controlled environment like an air show where we are not scrambling around in an emergency to react to something that has just happened," he said.

The operation is also scheduled to be making stops in Inuvik, Whitehorse and Watson Lake, Yukon.

Everything begins in Yellowknife on July 14.

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