Canada tees up military helicopter investment worth almost $13 billion

VICTORIA, British Columbia — The Canadian military hopes to start working with industry this summer on the acquisition of a new helicopter fleet that will deal with existing rotary aircraft gaps in firepower and mobility.

The Next Tactical Aviation Capability Set or nTACS project will provide a joint capability to be fielded by the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Canadian Army, and Canadian special forces.

In addition, Canada is also planning an upgrade of its existing fleet of Chinook heavy lift helicopters, according to a Feb. 25, 2025, briefing on Canada’s vertical lift capabilities.

The document noted that Canada will spend $12.9 billion (CA $18.4 billion) on new tactical helicopters. The briefing was prepared by RCAF Brig. Gen. Brendan Cook, director general of air and space force development, and provided to Defense News by the Department of National Defence.

The briefing pointed out that the nTACS project is in the options analysis phase but that discussions with industry are expected to begin sometime this summer.

Department of National Defence spokesman Kened Sadiku told Defense News that the exact timing for soliciting industry bids was still up in the air.

But the briefing noted that initial operating capability for nTACS would be expected in 2033.

The new fleet would replace the existing CH-146 Griffon helicopter fleet. But it would provide even more by revitalizing Canadian tactical aviation capabilities to “address capability gaps in Firepower, C4ISR, Mobility, and Support to Special Operations Forces,” according to Cook’s briefing package, compiled for use in industry presentations.

The project would provide a “return to a balanced fleet concept,” the briefing added.

Sadiku did not provide further details on the breakdown of the estimated cost or where the nTACS helicopters will be based in Canada. Such details will be covered in the options analysis which is expected to be completed in the next several months.

“This will consider the possible market options for nTACS, their platform capabilities, and this will then inform basing decisions,” Sadiku noted.

The Canadian Armed Forces currently operates 82 CH-146 Griffon helicopters. That helicopter is a variant of the Bell 412EP.

Canada also operates 14 CH-147F Chinook medium to heavy lift helicopters. Cook’s briefing deck noted that a mid-life block upgrade project is planned for that helicopter. Initial operating capability would be in 2032 with full operating capability in 2033.

No cost estimates or further details were provided for that upgrade.

Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Air Force is in the midst of receiving modernized CH-146s to extend the fleet’s service life.

In May 2022 the Canadian government awarded Bell Textron Canada Limited of Mirabel, Quebec, a contract worth $560 million (CAN $800 million) for the work.

The project is replacing a number of the aircraft’s avionics systems, including communications radios and cryptographic equipment, cockpit voice and flight recorders, navigation systems, automatic flight control systems, and control display units, according to the Canadian military.

Engines will also be upgraded and sensor systems will be integrated. The upgrade will allow the fleet to continue flying until at least 2031.

Full operational capability for the modernized helicopter fleet is set for 2027.

Bell Textron Canada Limited announced last June that it had completed first successful flight of one of the modernized CH-146 Griffon helicopters. The first upgraded Griffon completed is expected to be delivered to the Canadian government in 2026 pending military certification, according to the government.

David Pugliese is the Canada correspondent for Defense News.

加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省维多利亚市——加拿大军方希望今年夏天开始与业界合作，采购一支新的直升机机队，以弥补现有旋翼飞机在火力和机动性方面的不足。

下一代战术航空能力组件（nTACS）项目将为加拿大皇家空军、加拿大陆军和加拿大特种部队提供联合部署能力。

此外，根据 2025 年 2 月 25 日关于加拿大垂直起降能力的简报，加拿大还计划对其现有的奇努克重型运输直升机机队进行升级。

该文件指出，加拿大将斥资129亿美元（184亿加元）采购新型战术直升机。这份简报由加拿大皇家空军准将、空军和太空部队发展总监布伦丹·库克撰写，并由加拿大国防部提供给《防务新闻》。

简报指出，nTACS 项目目前处于方案分析阶段，但预计将于今年夏季某个时候开始与业界进行讨论。

加拿大国防部发言人肯尼德·萨迪库告诉《防务新闻》，征集行业投标的确切时间尚未确定。

但简报指出，nTACS 的初始运行能力预计将于 2033 年实现。

新机队将取代现有的 CH-146 狮鹫直升机机队。但根据库克为行业演示而编写的简报材料，它将提供更多，通过重振加拿大战术航空能力来“弥补火力、C4ISR、机动性和对特种作战部队的支持方面的能力差距”。

简报还补充说，该项目将实现“回归平衡舰队理念”。

萨迪库并未提供更多关于预计成本明细或nTACS直升机在加拿大部署地点的信息。这些细节将在方案分析报告中阐述，该报告预计将在未来几个月内完成。

Sadiku指出：“这将考虑nTACS可能的市场选择、其平台能力，然后为基地建设决策提供依据。”

加拿大武装部队目前装备有82架CH-146“狮鹫”直升机。该型直升机是贝尔412EP的衍生型号。

加拿大还运营着14架CH-147F“支奴干”中型至重型运输直升机。库克的简报指出，加拿大计划对该型直升机进行中期升级改造。初期作战能力将于2032年实现，全面作战能力将于2033年实现。

此次升级未提供费用估算或其他详细信息。

与此同时，加拿大皇家空军正在接收现代化改造的 CH-146 直升机，以延长机队的服役寿命。

2022 年 5 月，加拿大政府授予魁北克省米拉贝尔的贝尔德事隆加拿大有限公司一份价值 5.6 亿美元（8 亿加元）的合同，用于开展这项工作。

据加拿大军方称，该项目将更换飞机上的多个航空电子系统，包括通信无线电和加密设备、驾驶舱语音和飞行记录器、导航系统、自动飞行控制系统和控制显示单元。

发动机也将进行升级，并集成传感器系统。此次升级将使机队至少能够继续飞行至2031年。

现代化直升机机队全面投入运营的时间定于 2027 年。

贝尔德事隆加拿大有限公司去年6月宣布，其现代化改装的CH-146“狮鹫”直升机已成功完成首飞。据加拿大政府称，首架完成升级的“狮鹫”直升机预计将于2026年交付加拿大政府，但需获得军方认证。

David Pugliese 是《国防新闻》的加拿大通讯员。