Vanguard Magazine

10 JUNE/JULY 2022 www.vanguardcanada.com S SIT REP Government of Canada awards $800 million contract to extend life of RCAF's 85 CH-146 Griffon helicopters On May 30th, 2022, Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) was announced as the contractor chosen to extend the life of the Royal Canadian Air Force's fleet of 85 CH-146 Griffon helicopters until at least the mid- 2030s. With an $800 million contract awarded by the Government of Canada, BTCL will be responsible for assessing and defining necessary design changes and associated repairs to the aircraft. This decision was announced by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, on behalf of the Honourable Minister Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement. "I am pleased to announce this important contract award to Bell Tex- tron Canada Limited to keep 85 Griffon helicopters in service, while sup- porting jobs here in Canada. Canadians take great pride in their armed forces, and it's important to make sure its members have what they need to keep Canada safe and secure," remarked The Honourable Filo- mena Tassi. "Canada's aerospace sector is a world leader and a huge benefit to the entire Canadian economy," added The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne. "This project will have an incredible economic impact, ben- efiting the economy, the supply chain and, most importantly, the aero- space workers, who are the best in the world." BTCL is the original manufacturer of the CH-146 Griffon helicopters and therefore owns the intellectual property rights to the aircraft. The com- pany will assess and define necessary design changes and associated repairs and perform modifications on the first 9 helicopters. After this, they will manage a competitive process to sub-contract suppliers to in- stall modifications on 76 additional helicopters. Canada's aerospace sector is a major contributor to the nation's econ- omy, with over 200,000 jobs and nearly $22 billion in gross domestic product generated in 2020. The country continues to recognize the po- tential of the Canadian aerospace industry to provide significant contri- butions to this project. Through the use of business activities that will ensure opportunities for the broader Canadian supply chain, including small and medium- sized businesses, and motivate innovation in key industrial capabilities within Canada's world-leading aerospace sector, BTCL has applied the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy in order to manufacture a made-in-Canada solution for this project called Team Griffon. This team also includes CMC Electronics and Pratt & Whitney Canada. This will motivate innovation in key industrial capabilities within Canada's world- leading aerospace sector. Via Canada's defence policy - Strong, Secure, Engaged - the Govern- ment of Canada continues to modernize its military equipment to sup- port the Canadian Armed Forces and keep Canadians safe. "We are proudly celebrating the award and implementation of the Grif- fon Limited Life Extension project for the Royal Canadian Air Force by the Government of Canada. Our teams, located from the East to the West Coast, in collaboration with industry partners, ensure that the skills re- quired to sustain the Griffon remain resident in Canada. Our 1,300 em- ployees feel privileged to perform the work that will support the fleet of the RCAF for their critical missions in Canada and abroad," concluded Steeve Lavoie, President, Bell Textron Canada Ltd. Image: A Royal Canadian Air Force CH-146 Griffon helicopter performs a low altitude flyby during Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE 22. Photo: DND

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