Griffon Image Gallery

The six tactical helicopter squadrons under 1 Wing are equipped solely with a fleet of CH-146 Griffon Utility Tactical Transport Helicopters (UTTH).

The first CH-146 entered service in October 1994, replacing the medium-lift CH-135 Twin Huey, CH-136 Kiowa light observation helicopters, and the CH-147 Chinook .

The Air Force and the Army selected the Griffon to replace three different helicopters because of its flexibility to do more things collectively, including moving troops to the battlefield.

In addition to its air mobility capability, the Griffon can sling-transport weapons such as the Army's gun, the Giat 105mm LG1 Mk11.

It has an advanced avionics suite, three-axis autopilot and a (NVG) night vision goggle compatible cockpit. It can also be fitted with FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red), a powerful winch for search and rescue missions and a Searchlight for nighttime visibility.

Since 1994, the Griffon has seen service in disaster relief operations in Canada (Manitoba & Saguenay floods and Eastern Canada's 1998 Ice Storm), humanitarian missions in Haiti and Honduras, annual maintenance missions in the high arctic and in peacekeeping operations around the world.

Quick Facts

Length: 17.1 m
Rotorspan: 14 m
Height: 4.6 m
Weight: 5,355 kg
Power: : Pratt & Whitney's PT6T-3D engine
Speed: 220 km/h (cruise) up to 260 km/h (maximum speed)
Range: 656 km (with full tanks)
Passengers: 13 (including crew)