Alpine Aerotech and Heli-One have been contracted to perform modernisation work on the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters.
Awarded by Bell’s Canadian subsidiary, the contracts follow the selection last May of the airframer to head the Griffon Life Limited Extension (GLLE) programme.
Bell will modify the first nine of a total 85 helicopters, with the remaining 76 examples to be updated by the two subcontractors.
Both subcontractors are based in British Columbia in Western Canada: Alpine is headquartered in West Kelowna, while CHC Helicopter subsidiary Heli-One has its main base in Richmond near Vancouver.
The GLLE project will see the CH-146 fleet – delivered between 1994 and 1998 – operated into the 2030s.
Under the C$800 million ($590 million) programme, planned updates include replacement of the avionics, upgraded engines and integration of new sensor systems.
Other GLLE partners include CMC Electronics and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
