The government of Canada has awarded Bell Textron Canada Ltd. (BTCL) a $2.28 billion contract to sustain the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fleet of CH-146 Griffon helicopters, it said Wednesday.
Under the contract, BTCL is to provide services including component repair and overhaul, procurement of spares, and heavy maintenance services on the utility tactical-transport helicopter. The award is expected to extend the life of the aircraft until at least the mid-2030s.
“The CH-146 Griffon provides crucial tactical aviation, special operations aviation, and search and rescue capabilities to the Royal Canadian Air Force, at home and abroad. This in-service support contract will be key in keeping this fleet going for the next 15 years,” Bill Blair, Canada’s national defense minister, said in a statement.
According to RCAF, its fleet of 82 CH-146 helicopters supports troop and materiel transport, search and rescue operations, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance. As of this year, the CH-146 operates out of 11 locations across the country, the government said.
“This in-service support contract with Bell Textron Canada Ltd. will help sustain the Canadian Armed Forces’ fleet of CH-146 Griffon helicopters, while also maintaining good jobs here in Canada,” Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of public services and procurement, said.
The contract is set to begin in April. The support work is expected to create or maintain 1,130 jobs and will primarily be completed in provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
