DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Bell Helicopter Awarded $640M Contract To Support Canadian Forces

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Bell Helicopter Awarded $640M Contract To Support Canadian Forces

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Bell Helicopter

(NSI News Source Info) MIRABEL, QUEBEC, Canada - January 24, 2011: Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has been awarded a 10-year, $640M (CAN) support services contract for the Canadian Forces CH146 Griffon fleet.

This contract, known as the CH146 Optimized Weapon System Support (OWSS) contract includes aspects of management services, engineering and technical publications, aircraft maintenance services and spare and consumable parts. The initial contract will be followed by four one-year options, to be exercised at the Government of Canada's discretion. If exercised, these four one-year options bring the total possible contract value to $935M (CAN).

"For more than 10 years, Bell Helicopter and the Canadian Government have worked tirelessly to provide outstanding rotary wing support to the Canadian Forces," said John L. Garrison, Bell Helicopter president and chief executive officer. "This contract award is testament to the Canadian Forces confidence in Bell Helicopter's ability to add value to their mission."

OWSS combines three existing contracts providing engineering support, repair and overhaul (R&O) support and supply support for the Griffon program. Under the new OWSS contract, Bell Helicopter will assume greater responsibility for managing the CH146 program including:

• Increased airworthiness responsibility
• Responsibility for selected first and second line maintenance activities and
• Increased materiel support management

"Bell Helicopter is committed to working with the Canadian Forces to improve operational availability and reduce support costs of the CH146 Griffon fleet," said Garrison.

"With this contract award, the CH146 fleet enters a new era of support," said Barry Kohler, president Bell Helicopter Canada. "Bell Helicopter will continue to support the men and women of the Canadian Forces with superior products and services both now and well into the future."

The execution of the contract will occur out of Bell Helicopter's Mirabel facility and its Canadian Supply Center in Calgary. Bell Helicopter will work with its extensive Canadian aerospace supply base, including authorized Customer Service Facilities, to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul for the support contract.

"As a result of the OWSS contract, the CH146 program will benefit from Bell Helicopter's industry-leading customer support and service organization and can continue to expect the highest level of support and service," said Kohler. "We look forward to working together to make the CH146 fleet a highly successful one, capable of meeting the most challenging tasks assigned to it in the interest of national security."

In the mid-1990s, the Canadian Forces acquired 100 CH146 Griffons to replace CH135 Twin Huey and CH136 Kiowa as a Utility, Tactical and Transport platform. Since then, Bell Helicopter's Mirabel facility has been providing product and technical support to the Canadian Department of National Defense for its CH-146 Griffon fleet.

The CH146 supports peace-keeping missions and humanitarian relief operations for the Canadian Forces around the globe.

Press Contact Bridget Hall 817-280-7963 (USA office) 817-964-0334 (USA cell) bhall@bellhelicopter.textron.com

Press Contact Nathalie Bloomfield 817-280-2586 (USA office) 817-217 8852 (USA mobile) 514-220-0869 (Canada mobile) nbloomfield@bellhelicopter.textron.com

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

© Copyright (c) DTN News Defense-Technology News

DTN NEWS ON TWITTER (30 SUBJECTS)

Canadian Helos in Afghanistan Reach IOC / Canada’s CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook Helicopters Reach Initial Operational Capability

Canadian Helos in Afghanistan Reach IOC / Canada’s CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook Helicopters Reach Initial Operational Capability

(NSI News Source Info) March 12, 2009: On March 3, 2009, Lieutenant-General Angus Watt, Chief of the Air Staff, accompanied by Colonel Christopher Coates, the Commander of the Canadian Air Wing in Kandahar, announced that the CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook helicopters had reached initial operational capability (IOC).

Canadian Chinook transport helicopters, and their Bell 412 Griffon (seen here at Kandahar) armed escorts, have now reached initial operational capability in Afghanistan. (Canadian Forces photo)

IOC is a declaration to Regional Command (South) that the CH-146 Griffon and CH-147 Chinook helicopters belonging to the Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) Air Wing are ready to start providing a level of operational aviation support to Regional Command (South).

"I am very proud of every single member of the Joint Task Force-Afghanistan Air Wing," said Lieutenant-General Angus Watt. "In a very short period of time they have completed very demanding training, brought new aircraft into theatre, and have attained a high standard of operational capability."

The six Chinook D-model helicopters will enhance the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) ability to conduct air and aviation operations within the Regional Command (South) area of operations.

The medium-to-heavy lift helicopters will provide an important transportation capability and increased options for the transportation of Canadian soldiers, as well as their Afghan and coalition partners.

The Chinook is a very reliable helicopter that has proven itself in both domestic and international operations. The U.S., the U.K. and the Netherlands have all successfully operated the Chinook aircraft in the challenging environment of Afghanistan. With their ability to carry large payloads and more than 30 soldiers, the Chinooks are a valuable asset and welcome addition to the ISAF aircraft pool.

"Achieving IOC is another significant step towards building the air capability that will improve the task force's transportation, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and will contribute to mission success in Afghanistan," said Col Coates. "These additional assets will allow ISAF to reduce ground-based resupply convoys and more easily reach remote locations in challenging environments where they could be at risk of ambushes, land mines and improvised explosive devices."

The eight Griffon helicopters will be used to provide escort protection for the newly-acquired Chinooks, which will enhance CF capabilities, giving commanders the ability to move troops rapidly and with more flexibility. Griffons have been used effectively in many national and international humanitarian relief operations-including Manitoba's Red River flood in 1997, Eastern Canada's ice storm in 1998, and the United Nations effort to stabilize Haiti in 2004-and are a welcome addition to the JTF-Afg Air Wing inventory.

This achievement is an important step in fulfilling one of the key recommendations of the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan. These helicopters will enable the Canadian Forces to better support their civilian counterparts and will assist in more efficiently and effectively progressing Canada's priorities and signature projects in Kandahar Province.

The Air Wing will continue to develop its capabilities with these platforms in order to reach full operational capability (FOC). Canada's Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reached initial operating capability on January 31, 2009. Upon reaching FOC, Canadian Forces aircraft will be declared to have met the full scope of CF air support commitment to Regional Command (South).