Leonardo, IMP re-forms Team Cormorant
Leonardo Helicopters and IMP Aerospace and Defence have re-established ‘Team Cormorant’ to target the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF's) upcoming CH-149 and AW101-519 modernisation and conversion programme, IMP announced on 29 May.
The RCAF is looking to modernise its fleet of CH-149 Cormorant Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters and expand the fleet by converting a number of AW101-519 helicopters.
Team Cormorant’s proposed Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) and Conversion Programme will create a fleet of advanced and capable SAR helicopters to meet the RCAF’s ‘no fail’ SAR mandate for the next 25 years.
The programme will provide a single, common fleet integrating the latest avionic and mission systems, advanced radars and sensors, vision enhancement and tracking systems. The current fleet of 14 Cormorant helicopters will be combined with additional helicopters obtained by the Canadian government when it acquired the assets of the US VH-71 helicopter programme, which are currently in storage at IMP Aerospace in Halifax.
The CMLU will offer capability improvements to enhance mission effectiveness and return the Rotary Wing Search and Rescue helicopter to CFB Trenton, covering the Great Lakes region up to the High Arctic. It will also reduce the ownership cost and will deliver the conversion without reducing the current SAR aircraft availability, culminating in the expansion of service from three main SAR bases to four.
In addition to Leonardo Helicopters and IMP, Team Cormorant will grow to include other Canadian companies who will supply and support critical aircraft components, technology, systems, simulation and training.
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