The CBC’s Murray Brewster recently had an exclusive story about the decision to put on hold the modernization program for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Griffon helicopters. It’s still unclear what will emerge from this modernization effort.
I originally covered the 1992 announcement of the government’s decision to purchase the Griffons. My April 9, 1992, article in the Ottawa Citizen reported on Defence Minister Marcel Masse and Associate Defence Minister Mary Collins revealing plans to buy 100 helicopters from Bell (aircraft that would eventually be named Griffons), as well as 229 light-armored vehicles from General Motors in London, Ont. (now General Dynamics Land Systems -Canada or GDLS).
Vice-Admiral Robert George, deputy chief of the defence staff, told me at the time that the projects would save taxpayers money as the Bell helicopters, as well as the armoured vehicles, were already proven equipment and there would be little financial risk from excessive development costs.
Over the years I have written about the Griffon project, many of those articles no longer online. But here are a few more recent ones so you get a sense of the latest on the RCAF’s Griffon helicopter fleet and the eventual plans to replace the aircraft.
January 2026
Special forces to get new helicopters first
March 2025
Canada to buy new military helicopters to respond to potential F-35 crashes in the Arctic
February 2019
Work to start on first phase of CH-146 Griffon upgrade and life extension
June 2017
Griffon helicopter replacement not in the cards for the Liberals anytime soon
If you’re interested in some of my older articles, on topics ranging from JTF2 to equipment purchases, a number of them have been put on line here at my older WordPress website.