GRIFFONS ONE STEP CLOSER TO KANDAHAR
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The Griffons are one step closer to their deployment to Afghanistan as well as in support of 2010 Olympic security.
This came in from the government the other day (I edited it for space):
“Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada and Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence announced the government has awarded a contract to L-3 Wescam Inc., Burlington, Ontario, for an electro-optical and infrared sensor system to be installed on the CH-146 Griffon helicopter. This procurement has a value, including options, of $25.9 million.
The equipment procured through this project will enable the Griffon helicopter with the capability to provide escort and surveillance support to land operations.
Known as the Interoperable Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System (INGRESS), the project involves the procurement of a common electro-optical/infrared sensor system that can be installed on the CH-146 Griffon along with equipment that will allow for the operation of the sensor for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Escort tasks. A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for INGRESS was issued on MERX, the government's electronic tendering service, on April 16, 2008. The RFP closed on May 23, 2008. The evaluation of bids was concluded on June 2, 2008.”
So…..I’m told the INGRESS project will acquire 19 electro-optical/infra-red sensor systems to be installed on the helicopters. The project will also see the procurement of a door-mounted gun system, most likely a mini-gun.
“This will give the Griffon a sensor capability for domestic operations and a sensor and weapons capability for force protection, for ground mobility and tactical air mobility,” Canadian Air Force spokesman Major Jim Hutcheson said a few months ago.
Sixty-four Griffons would be modified to carry the equipment.
The first delivery of the systems would be in November. The final delivery would be by the summer of next year. Bell Helicopter in Mirabel would be installing the systems on board the Griffons.
The sensors would be configured to allow for easy installation and removal and the modification of existing Griffon avionics would not be required.
The program would produce two types of upgraded Griffons, according to Hutcheson. There would be the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance configuration and an escort configuration Griffon. Both would use a common EO/IR sensor.
The ISR configuration will be able to detect, recognize and identify objects as small in size as a human being and transmit video imagery via a data link. A laser system will also be available for ranging and marking.
The escort configuration would consist of cockpit-mounted sensor controls, imagery and a multi-functional digital moving map display but would not include a data link. Up to four sensor packages for the ISR configuration will be procured and up to 15 packages for the escort configuration will be required.
The project is also calling for a door-mounted crew-served weapon for the escort configuration.
The Air Force is considering sending some of the modified Griffons to Afghanistan to accompany the Chinook helicopters it hopes to acquire at some point.
“The modified Griffon, the INGRESS, would be eligible to go to Afghanistan sometime after 2009 when the Chinooks would go,” Hutcheson said.
More on link
INGRESS: New Eyes for Canada’s Griffon Helicopters
15-Jul-2008 14:17 EDT
Article Link
In December 2005, “Canada Purchases $200M in Equipment for Operation ARCHER in Afghanistan” noted the issues created by Canada’s complete lack of integrated in-theater helicopter support. Worse, the Canadian Forces faced an equally complete lack of options. Canada had never operated attack helicopters, so there were none to be had. Its heavy lift CH-47s had been sold to the Dutch in 1991, and the program to belatedly replace them cannot deliver before 2011-2012. The navy’s Sea King fleet was dangerously old and needed for maritime roles, and their replacement CH-148 Cyclones/H-92 Superhawks have yet to be delivered. New CH-149 Cormorant/EH101 search-and-rescue helicopters are non-military versions that are needed along Canada’s huge coastlines, and the helicopters have encountered serious and long-running reliability issues during their short lifetimes. Finally, other Army helicopters like the CH-146 Griffon/ Bell 412 lacked the carrying capacity required to operate as true utility helicopters in Afghanistan’s performance-sapping high altitudes and hot temperatures.
Outside organizations like the Canadian-American Strategic Review (CASR) had looked at this problem, and proposed a pair of solutions. One option involved buying, leasing, or trading for Mi-17 helicopters used by Afghanistan’s air force and by several NATO countries. Faced with a Parliamentary threat of forced withdrawal unless it produced transport helicopters in a timely manner, the Canadian government finally signed a contract in April 2008 to buy 6 used CH-47Ds instead, and have them delivered by 2009. The other CASR proposal looked at the Bell 412’s strengths and limitations. It argued that CH-146 Griffons could be turned into armed reconnaissance helicopters that would emulate the US Marines’ UH-1Ns by providing overwatch, escorting transport helicopters, and even performing limited casualty-evacuation duties.
Now, a program called INGRESS is taking the first steps along very similar lines, in order to prepare Canada’s Griffons for front-line deployment…
The Interoperable Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System program aimed to install surveillance and targeting turrets in Canada’s CH-146 Griffons, “along with equipment that will allow for the operation of the sensor for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Escort tasks.”
INGRESS was let as a formal RFP on Canada’s MERX system in April 2008. Bids closed on May 23/08, and on July 14/08, the Canadian government announced that L-3 Wescam Inc. in Burlington, Ontario, Canada had won a C$ 25.9 million (about $25.8 million, includes value-added tax) contract.
More on link
Article Link
The Griffons are one step closer to their deployment to Afghanistan as well as in support of 2010 Olympic security.
This came in from the government the other day (I edited it for space):
“Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada and Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence announced the government has awarded a contract to L-3 Wescam Inc., Burlington, Ontario, for an electro-optical and infrared sensor system to be installed on the CH-146 Griffon helicopter. This procurement has a value, including options, of $25.9 million.
The equipment procured through this project will enable the Griffon helicopter with the capability to provide escort and surveillance support to land operations.
Known as the Interoperable Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System (INGRESS), the project involves the procurement of a common electro-optical/infrared sensor system that can be installed on the CH-146 Griffon along with equipment that will allow for the operation of the sensor for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Escort tasks. A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for INGRESS was issued on MERX, the government's electronic tendering service, on April 16, 2008. The RFP closed on May 23, 2008. The evaluation of bids was concluded on June 2, 2008.”
So…..I’m told the INGRESS project will acquire 19 electro-optical/infra-red sensor systems to be installed on the helicopters. The project will also see the procurement of a door-mounted gun system, most likely a mini-gun.
“This will give the Griffon a sensor capability for domestic operations and a sensor and weapons capability for force protection, for ground mobility and tactical air mobility,” Canadian Air Force spokesman Major Jim Hutcheson said a few months ago.
Sixty-four Griffons would be modified to carry the equipment.
The first delivery of the systems would be in November. The final delivery would be by the summer of next year. Bell Helicopter in Mirabel would be installing the systems on board the Griffons.
The sensors would be configured to allow for easy installation and removal and the modification of existing Griffon avionics would not be required.
The program would produce two types of upgraded Griffons, according to Hutcheson. There would be the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance configuration and an escort configuration Griffon. Both would use a common EO/IR sensor.
The ISR configuration will be able to detect, recognize and identify objects as small in size as a human being and transmit video imagery via a data link. A laser system will also be available for ranging and marking.
The escort configuration would consist of cockpit-mounted sensor controls, imagery and a multi-functional digital moving map display but would not include a data link. Up to four sensor packages for the ISR configuration will be procured and up to 15 packages for the escort configuration will be required.
The project is also calling for a door-mounted crew-served weapon for the escort configuration.
The Air Force is considering sending some of the modified Griffons to Afghanistan to accompany the Chinook helicopters it hopes to acquire at some point.
“The modified Griffon, the INGRESS, would be eligible to go to Afghanistan sometime after 2009 when the Chinooks would go,” Hutcheson said.
More on link
INGRESS: New Eyes for Canada’s Griffon Helicopters
15-Jul-2008 14:17 EDT
Article Link
In December 2005, “Canada Purchases $200M in Equipment for Operation ARCHER in Afghanistan” noted the issues created by Canada’s complete lack of integrated in-theater helicopter support. Worse, the Canadian Forces faced an equally complete lack of options. Canada had never operated attack helicopters, so there were none to be had. Its heavy lift CH-47s had been sold to the Dutch in 1991, and the program to belatedly replace them cannot deliver before 2011-2012. The navy’s Sea King fleet was dangerously old and needed for maritime roles, and their replacement CH-148 Cyclones/H-92 Superhawks have yet to be delivered. New CH-149 Cormorant/EH101 search-and-rescue helicopters are non-military versions that are needed along Canada’s huge coastlines, and the helicopters have encountered serious and long-running reliability issues during their short lifetimes. Finally, other Army helicopters like the CH-146 Griffon/ Bell 412 lacked the carrying capacity required to operate as true utility helicopters in Afghanistan’s performance-sapping high altitudes and hot temperatures.
Outside organizations like the Canadian-American Strategic Review (CASR) had looked at this problem, and proposed a pair of solutions. One option involved buying, leasing, or trading for Mi-17 helicopters used by Afghanistan’s air force and by several NATO countries. Faced with a Parliamentary threat of forced withdrawal unless it produced transport helicopters in a timely manner, the Canadian government finally signed a contract in April 2008 to buy 6 used CH-47Ds instead, and have them delivered by 2009. The other CASR proposal looked at the Bell 412’s strengths and limitations. It argued that CH-146 Griffons could be turned into armed reconnaissance helicopters that would emulate the US Marines’ UH-1Ns by providing overwatch, escorting transport helicopters, and even performing limited casualty-evacuation duties.
Now, a program called INGRESS is taking the first steps along very similar lines, in order to prepare Canada’s Griffons for front-line deployment…
The Interoperable Griffon Reconnaissance Escort Surveillance System program aimed to install surveillance and targeting turrets in Canada’s CH-146 Griffons, “along with equipment that will allow for the operation of the sensor for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Escort tasks.”
INGRESS was let as a formal RFP on Canada’s MERX system in April 2008. Bids closed on May 23/08, and on July 14/08, the Canadian government announced that L-3 Wescam Inc. in Burlington, Ontario, Canada had won a C$ 25.9 million (about $25.8 million, includes value-added tax) contract.
More on link
