Bell CH-146 Griffon
| CH-146 Griffon | |
|---|---|
| A CH-146 Griffon from 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron | |
| General information | |
| Type | Utility helicopter |
| National origin | United States / Canada |
| Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Number built | 100 (85 in service) |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1992–1997 |
| Introduction date | 1995 |
| First flight | 1992 |
| Developed from | Bell 412 |
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The Bell CH-146 Griffon is a multi-role utility helicopter designed by Bell Helicopter Textron as a variant of the Bell 412EP for the Canadian Armed Forces. It is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks. The CH-146 has a crew of three, can carry up to ten troops and has a cruising speed of 220–260 km/h (120–140 kn; 140–160 mph).
The CH-146 is a continuation of decades long use of the Huey family by Canadian military, starting with the UH-1H model in 1968, and expanded by use of the UH-1N Twin Huey; known as the CH-118 and CH-135 respectively. Both were retired in the 1990s and replaced by the CH-146; it also replaced early model CH-147 Chinook and CH-136 Kiowa helicopters, although in the 2010s additional Chinooks were acquired of the latest type. The CH-146 has served in missions internationally and domestically. They were built in Canada. The fleet is currently being modernized for service into the 2030s.