Bell CH-146 Griffon
In September 1992, the Canadian Department of National Defence signed a C$750 million order with Bell Helicopter for 100 twin-engine Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters replace three older Bell models: CH-118 Iroquois (UH-1H) in the SAR role, CH-136 Kiowa (OH-58A) in the observation role, and CH-135 Twin Huey (CUH-1N) in the tactical transport role; each of which had been delivered between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s.
The CH-146 (Model 412 CF) is powered by Canadian P&WC PT6T-3D TwinPac engines and was designed for the multiple roles using Bell-furnished quick-change mission kits.
The first CH-146 flew at the Bell factory in Mirabel, Quebec, on April 30, 1994. One hundred were delivered between October 1994 and January 1998 to 10 Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) bases: Bagotville, Que.; Borden, Ont.; Cold Lake, Alta.; Edmonton, Alta.; Gagetown, N.B.; Goose Bay, N.L.; Petawawa, Ont.; Saint-Hubert, Que.; Trenton, Ont.; and Valcartier, Que.
Bell provided flight training to RCAF pilots in Texas during the initial contract. In 2005, nine CH-146s were transferred to the civilian Allied Wings consortium to provide Phase III Twin Engine helicopter training at 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at Southport, Manitoba, where they fly as the Bell 412CF Outlaw.
In December 2008, eight CH-146s equipped with a M134D Minigun were deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, to support the Canadian combat troops stationed in the region. Eighty-five RCAF CH-146s will be upgraded by Bell at the Mirabel between 2022 and 2027 under the Griffon Limited Life Extension (GLLE) program, which will see the aircraft receive new cockpit displays and P&WC engines and integrate sensor systems, communications and cryptographic equipment, cockpit voice and flight recorders, navigation systems, automatic flight control systems, and control display units.
Prepared by Ken Swartz.
Mike Reyno photo
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