No matter where their duties take them, the men and women of the Canadian Forces know they can rely on the CH-146 Griffon to get them there—and back—safely. From rescuing civilians in the high Arctic to airlifting supplies in Kosovo, Canada’s Utility Transport Tactical Helicopter (UTTH) has served faithfully.
The Griffon is used at home and abroad for search and rescue (SAR) missions, surveillance and reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and counter-drug operations. The helicopter has also played a key role in many national and international humanitarian relief operations, including those for Manitoba’s Red River flood (Operation Assistance) in 1997; Eastern Canada’s ice storm (Operation Recuperation) in 1998; and the United Nations effort to stabilize Haiti (Operation Halo) in 2004.
The CH-146 is equipped with a hoist that enables it to extract people and cargo from almost any terrain. The Griffon can be equipped with a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) system and a powerful searchlight, helping it to navigate and search in low-visibility conditions.
The aircraft can carry up to 13 people—two pilots, a flight engineer and 10 passengers—and has a maximum gross weight of nearly 5400 kg. Part of its heft comes from the armour that lines both the floor and the crew seats. Despite its weight, the Griffon can reach speeds up to 260 km/h.
