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Introduced into the CF in 1963, the Sea King’s primary role has been Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). Today, the roles of the aircraft and air and ground crews have expanded significantly to include domestic Search and Rescue (SAR) support, fisheries and pollution patrols, counter-narcotic and counter-piracy, domestic and international disaster relief, and international peacekeeping operations.

A proven flexible and capable platform, the Sea King helicopter has been employed since the 1990s in the campaign against terrorism. The aircraft was critical to the success of foreign relief missions conducted in Haiti and Somalia, participated in far-eastern anti-terrorist embargos, and provided vital domestic support during critical times such as the Winnipeg and British Columbia floods. A work horse of Canada’s Air Force, the Sea King continues to serve the nation and will participate in security operations surrounding the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Planning for replacement of the Sea King MH began in 1977 with the Sea King Replacement Project. This project introduced a mid-life modernization and rebuilding program that involved upgrading the aircraft’s mission systems. The Canadian Patrol Frigate (CPF) Project simultaneously looked at the aircraft’s replacement as part of the CPF purchase, but the effort was deemed too costly and abandoned in 1978.

In 1983, the Department of National Defence (DND) began issuing contracts under the Sea King Replacement Project. The project sought to develop and extend the avionics capabilities of a future, unidentified aircraft that would replace the Sea King and to prepare MH personnel for a more complex and sophisticated weapon system.

Two years later, the New Shipboard Aircraft (NSA) Project was introduced, and the search for a replacement helicopter began in earnest. In 1987, the government announced that the Augusta-Westland EH101 would replace both the CH124 Sea King (35 aircraft) and the CH113 Labrador SAR helicopter (15 aircraft).

A change of government in 1993 saw the cancellation of the NSA project, and the decision was made to separate the future purchase of the new maritime and SAR helicopters. A year later, the Maritime Helicopter Project (MHP) was introduced to address the continued need to provide a replacement helicopter for the aging Sea King fleet, as stated in the recently published 1994 Defence White Paper. Little progress was made in the following years until, in 2000, the MHP was deemed a top priority and a Request for Proposals for 28 new Maritime Helicopters was prepared and issued.

Sikorsky International Operations Inc. (SIOI) won the bid, and the contract to purchase 28 CH148 Cyclones was signed in November 2004. The first helicopter was scheduled for delivery in November 2008 at a delivery rate of one helicopter per month thereafter for a total of 28 helicopters. The delivery date subsequently was delayed until January 2009 due to unforecast labor and contract issues.

In early 2008, SIOI informed the government of an additional delay in the planned delivery date. DND, along with Public Works and Government Services Canada, worked toward resolution with SIOI and, in December 2008, it was announced that the first Cyclone helicopter would be delivered in November 2010. The first 19 helicopters delivered will be designated as Interim Maritime Helicopters (IMH). These IMH aircraft will be fully functional and able to conduct testing and evaluation and training for MH maintenance and air crews, yet will not be fully compliant with the delivery contract. Delivery of the first fully capable MH aircraft that meets all contract specifications will be in June 2012, at which point the previous IMH aircraft will then be retrofitted.

Training of MH air and ground crews to operate the Cyclone will begin in 2010, while operational testing and evaluation will be carried out with the new Cyclone aircraft in order to verify and validate the operational capabilities of the aircraft prior to its release to service. 12 Wing will maintain its high pace of operations with the Sea King until the new Cyclone fleet has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) status. The Sea King fleet then will be withdrawn gradually from service as the Cyclones are phased in and personnel are converted to the new aircraft.

Under the MHP, SIOI is contracted to deliver the following:

1.28 CH148 Cyclone helicopters;

2.Requisite modifications to 12 HALIFAX Class Frigates;

3.A Maritime Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) and all training aids including two Operational Mission Simulators (OMS);

4.Aircrew and technician Initial Cadre Training (ICT) and subsequent 12 Wing Conversion Training; and

5.20-year In-Service-Support (ISS) to 12 Wing.

A number of significant infrastructure improvements and additions have been, or are in the process of being implemented at 12 Wing’s two main operating bases: Shearwater, N.S. and Pat Bay, B.C. These major projects include: construction of the MHTC, a state-of-the-art training facility housing multiple flight simulators and other training devices; construction of three new aircraft hangar and support facilities at Shearwater and one hangar facility at Pat Bay to house and operate the new 28-aircraft fleet; and construction of a water reservoir and the replacement of water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines servicing the Shearwater aircraft hangar line that will provide the requisite fire suppression services to the hangars housing the new fleet.

Cyclone aircraft 801 successfully conducted its first flight in November 2008, which marked a key transitional milestone in CH148 Cyclone production. This marked the definitive shift from prototype design to flight test verification and ultimate delivery of the new aircraft.

The Cyclone will be a twin-engine, day and night capable, all-weather, integrated C2 ISR (Command-and-Control Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance) maritime helicopter. Multipurpose and combat capable, the Cyclone weapon system will be at the forefront of modern technology. The new aircraft will enable the MH community to continue to be a vibrant and relevant, operationally-ready Air Force community serving Canada’s security needs at home and abroad for many years to come