combat aircraft

RCAF CYCLONE OPERATIONAL

THE ROYAL CANADIAN Air Force

(RCAF)’s long-awaited CH-

maritime helicopter achieved initial

operating capability (IOC) with 12

Wing/CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia,

in late May. The milestone paves

the way for the Cyclone to make its

 rst operational deployment with

423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron

(MHS) in early July aboard the

frigate HMCS Ville de Québec

(FFH 332).

The Cyclone recently completed

ship helicopter operating limit

(SHOL) testing and has been

cleared to operate from Royal

Canadian Navy frigates in

conditions up to sea state 6, which

includes winds of up to 55kt

(100km/h) and waves that are

12-20ft (4-6m) high.

Although east coast CH-

operations ended in January 2018,

443 MHS at Patricia Bay, British

Columbia, is still operating around

10 Sea Kings. The squadron is

currently supporting a helicopter

air detachment (HELAIRDET)

aboard the Halifax-class frigate

HMCS St John’s (FFH 340), which

is deployed to the Mediterranean

Sea. The deployment is the last

for the CH-124 and will conclude

in July. The squadron will begin

its conversion to the Cyclone this

summer and the last Sea Kings will

be retired in December.

Training associated with the

Cyclone is being carried out

by 406 Maritime Operational

Training Squadron at Shearwater.

Through late May, more than 120

maintenance personnel and 23

aircrew had completed the CH-

conversion process. The RCAF has

accepted 15 of the planned  eet of

28 Cyclones from Sikorsky Aircraft.

The  eet includes both Block I

variants that are supporting training

and the more capable Block II

models that are used for operational

missions. 12 Wing expects to

have six Block IIs — which feature

a redesigned sonar system —

assigned by the end of June.

Tom Kaminski

A CH-148 Cyclone from

12 Wing Shearwater

over Eastern Passage,

Nova Scotia.

John Clevett/RCAF

WORLD [NEWS]

http://www.combataircraft.net // August 2018 19

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