The CH-149 Cormorant is a long-range helicopter dedicated to search and rescue. It can operate in severe conditions, making it ideal for Canada’s challenging geography and climate.
The Cormorant can carry up to 12 stretchers or a load of 5,000 kilograms. Its advanced systems provide a stable hover for critical hoisting operations. It has helped rescue mountain climbers, lost hikers, ship crews and more.
Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) Project.
The CMLU project will upgrade Canada’s CH-149 Cormorant fleet, which plays a critical role in our country’s Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. The fleet has been providing reliable and crucial service to Canada since 2001 – but requires upgrades to remain operationally effective.
The CH-149 Cormorant fleet has been providing reliable and crucial service to Canada since 2001 and requires upgrades to remain operationally effective. Through the contract with Leonardo U.K. Ltd., we will upgrade our current fleet to the most advanced version of the helicopter, and acquire additional airframes/parts to increase our fleet size from 13 to 16 aircraft. This will ensure that we can continue to perform search and rescue operations from Comox, B.C., Gander, N.L., Greenwood, N.S., and add to the search and rescue capacity from Trenton, Ont.
Moreover, this project addresses the need for an improved training solution. By contracting CAE to provide a domestic flight simulator configured to our modernized aircraft, our aircrews will have dedicated training capacity in Canada and will no longer need to travel to the United Kingdom to train.
This project will extend the estimated life expectancy of the CH-149 Cormorant to at least 2042, address obsolescence issues, and ensure compliance with emerging regulations.
Implementation
- Project approval: November 2022
- Contract award: December 2022
- First delivery: 2026
- Initial operational capability: 2027
- Final delivery: 2029
- Full operational capability: 2030
- Close-out: 2030
