Will Provide Support Services For The Fleet Of CH146
Griffons
The Canadian government has awarded a Bell Helicopter a 10-year,
$647 million support services contract for the Canadian Forces
CH146 Griffon fleet.
This contract, known as the CH146 Optimized Weapon System
Support (OWSS) contract includes aspects of management services,
engineering and technical publications, aircraft maintenance
services and spare and consumable parts. The initial contract will
be followed by four one-year options, to be exercised at the
Government of Canada's discretion. If exercised, these four
one-year options bring the total possible contract value to $945
million.
"For more than 10 years, Bell Helicopter and the Canadian
Government have worked tirelessly to provide outstanding rotary
wing support to the Canadian Forces," said John L. Garrison, Bell
Helicopter president and chief executive officer. "This contract
award is testament to the Canadian Forces confidence in Bell
Helicopter's ability to add value to their mission."
OWSS combines three existing contracts providing engineering
support, repair and overhaul (R&O) support and supply support
for the Griffon program. Under the new OWSS contract, Bell
Helicopter will assume greater responsibility for managing the
CH146 program including:
- Increased airworthiness responsibility.
- Responsibility for selected first and second line maintenance
activities.
- Increased materiel support management.
"Bell Helicopter is committed to working with the Canadian
Forces to improve operational availability and reduce support costs
of the CH146 Griffon fleet," said Garrison.
"With this contract award, the CH146 fleet enters a new era of
support," said Barry Kohler, president Bell Helicopter Canada.
"Bell Helicopter will continue to support the men and women of the
Canadian Forces with superior products and services both now and
well into the future." The execution of the contract will occur out
of Bell Helicopter's Mirabel facility and its Canadian Supply
Center in Calgary. Bell Helicopter will work with its extensive
Canadian aerospace supply base, including authorized Customer
Service Facilities, to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul for
the support contract.
"As a result of the OWSS contract, the CH146 program will
benefit from Bell Helicopter's industry-leading customer support
and service organization and can continue to expect the highest
level of support and service," said Kohler. "We look forward to
working together to make the CH146 fleet a highly successful one,
capable of meeting the most challenging tasks assigned to it in the
interest of national security."
In the mid-1990s, the Canadian Forces acquired 100 CH146
Griffons to replace CH135 Twin Huey and CH136 Kiowa as a Utility,
Tactical and Transport platform. Since then, Bell Helicopter's
Mirabel facility has been providing product and technical support
to the Canadian Department of National Defense for its CH-146
Griffon fleet.