The facelift offered by Bell Textron Canada to the CH-146 Griffon of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) seems like a springboard for the helicopter manufacturer based in Mirabel. This solution is attracting attention elsewhere in the world.
“Norway operates a large fleet of 412s [the Griffon platform], the vice-president and general manager of Bell Textron Canada, Michael Nault, told La Presse on Thursday. We are in discussions with them. There are also countries in Southeast Asia that are looking at what we are doing here. »
At the start of the day, at the Mirabel plant, he participated in the ceremony to mark the first flight of a CH-146 Griffon upgraded as part of an 800 million contract awarded to the subsidiary of American conglomerate Textron.
The agreement calls for upgrades – such as new engines and mission systems as well as replacing analog dials with digital displays – of the RCAF’s 85 helicopters to extend their service life until the middle of the next decade.
“It is certain that the modifications that we are making for the ARC, not all countries can afford something so exhaustive,” says Mr. Nault. But we also offer other types of solutions. For example, we developed an avionics upgrade [the aircraft’s nervous system] for our older 412s.”
The CH-146 Griffon is a variant of the civilian Bell 412EP model. The Mirabel factory does not build helicopters equipped with weapons. Between 1995 and 1997, 100 aircraft were delivered to National Defense. They are used in tactical transport missions, emergency response and search and rescue operations.
Until other agreements are concluded, Bell Textron Canada must, before the end of the summer, carry out a total of seven upgrades at its factory located in the Laurentians. Subsequently, Alpine Aerotech (British Columbia) and Heli-One Canada (British Columbia and Alberta) will take over, under the supervision of the Quebec manufacturer.
Even if it is in the West that the work will be carried out, two suppliers well established in Quebec, Pratt
A first device should be delivered to the ARC in 2026, when certification has been obtained.
The work is in addition to the lucrative $2.3 billion contract Bell Textron Canada secured last January to continue servicing the RCAF’s CH-146 Griffons for another 15 years. The company employs more than 200 people who provide technical services to the RCAF’s helicopters.
According to Mr. Nault, the extension of the service agreement made it possible to hire a few dozen people at the Mirabel plant, which has a workforce of approximately 1,600 people. Bell Textron’s Quebec plant builds the multinational’s commercial models (models 412, 407, 429 and 505).
