Leonardo to modernize and expand Canada’s fleet of SAR AW101/CH-149 Cormorant helicopters

Canada awarded Leonardo a C$1 billion (€690 million) contract for the SAR AW101/CH-149 «Cormorant» (CMLU) helicopter mid-life upgrade project. The contract includes the upgrade of 13 existing SAR Cormorant helicopters and the delivery of three additional new aircraft, which will provide increased capabilities and extend the life expectancy of the fleet to 2042+.

Canada has one of the world’s largest areas of responsibility for search and rescue (SAR) operations, with a territory spanning 18 million square kilometers of land and water, and more than 243,000 kilometers of coastline connecting three oceans. The challenges associated with such a huge area are compounded by the varied and often austere terrain, mountainous regions, extreme weather conditions and low population density that characterize many parts of the country, making Canada one of the most difficult environments in which to conduct SAR operations.

The unique Canadian reality has resulted in a set of robust operational requirements for SAR aircraft, which need to operate in oceanic and arctic environments, in forested areas or at high altitudes. To cover these demanding missions, Canada chose the AW101/CH-149 Cormorant as its primary SAR asset.

To continue to maintain this SAR helicopter fleet into the future, Canada’s Department of National Defense awarded Leonardo (through its UK subsidiary, Leonardo U.K. Ltd of Yeovil) a contract worth approximately USD 735 million for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the 13 CH-149 «Cormorant» helicopters currently in service, plus the purchase of three additional new aircraft.

Fleet upgrades and improvements will include:

• Upgrades to navigation, communication, flight management, flight recorder and safety systems to meet new Canadian, U.S. and European airspace regulatory requirements and to address obsolescence;
• Upgraded sensor and cockpit wireless communications capabilities;
• Upgrading to the most advanced version of the helicopter, the AW101 612, the same model that Norway has recently acquired to perform its rotary wing SAR missions, to take advantage of upgrades and improve parts availability for maintenance;
• The acquisition of enhanced training solutions, including a flight simulator to be located in Canada.