Griffon CH-146C Mk II Modernized Takes First Flight with Royal Canadian Air Force.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) completed the inaugural flight of its first modernized Bell CH-146 Griffon, upgraded to the CH-146C Mk II version. This information was relayed by the manufacturer Bell Textron on June 20, 2024. The modernization aims to extend the service life of the RCAF's CH-146 Griffon, a variant of the Bell 412EP, until at least 2031.
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Bell CH-146 Griffon, upgraded to the CH-146C Mk II version. (Picture source: Bell Textron)

At a commemorative event at Bell's Commercial Center of Excellence in Mirabel, Quebec, on June 20, Colonel David Forbes, Commander of the 1st Wing, Kingston, emphasized the significance of this milestone. "The Griffon Mk II is an important step for us," he stated. "We have had an excellent experience with the Griffon helicopter for nearly 30 years now. It has been deployed in Haiti, Honduras, Afghanistan, West Africa, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Philippines, and all over Canada for search and rescue operations and national missions, and we need to be ready to continue."

The utility helicopter supports a range of operations, including tactical transport, emergency response, and search and rescue missions both nationally and internationally.

"We still need the fleet for at least 10 more years, if not more," Forbes added. "It is agile, relatively simple, and by global military aviation standards, it is inexpensive to operate. And it will serve as an effective bridge to our next generation capability, nTACS [next Tactical Aviation Capability Set]."

The GLLE project includes improvements to the Griffon's avionics systems, cockpit displays, Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-9 Twin-Pac engines, and sensor systems.

This inaugural flight marks the beginning of a flight testing program that will lead to the military certification of the aircraft, with the first delivery expected in 2026.

"Just a few months ago, this aircraft was completely dismantled," said Michael Nault, General Manager of Bell Textron Canada. "We kept the cabin and disassembled everything. We reused the dynamic components. You have a new engine, new wiring harnesses, a new avionics suite, a new mission equipment package. And now, everything is assembled and in flight — it's a great day for Bell."

Nault also revealed that the manufacturer is currently working on two other Griffons, with a total of seven to be completed under the modernization program at Mirabel. The rest of the fleet of 85 aircraft will be modernized by Bell's partners, Alpine Aerotek and Heli-One.

Brigadier General Darryl Taylor, Director General of Aerospace Equipment Program Management at the Department of National Defence, acknowledged the efforts of Bell and its partners to overcome "numerous challenges" during the project, including redesigning the nose of the aircraft to resolve radio integration issues.

"Many of these complications were unforeseen," Taylor said. "Regardless of the challenges, their commitment to overcoming them was vital to the success of the GLLE today."

This milestone comes after Bell secured a $2.2 billion contract to support the RCAF's Griffon fleet until 2039. Last year, the fleet surpassed half a million flight hours.

"The Bell 412 remains a venerable aircraft chosen by militaries worldwide, with the Royal Canadian Air Force operating the largest and best-equipped militarized fleet of 412s," said Danny Maldonado, Bell's Chief Commercial Officer. "Bell is honored to continue our relationship with the Royal Canadian Air Force as they expand their mission capabilities with next-generation technologies."