Canada looks to both NATO and the US for next generation helicopter beyond 2035
Royal Canadian Air Force CH-146s have been undergoing upgrades. (Photo: Canadian MoD)
Aircraft set for replacement under NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) include AW101, UH-60 Black Hawk, Puma and NH90.
Canada has officially become part of NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) as it looks to replace its fleet of Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters beyond 2035 while also monitoring the efforts of its southern neighbour’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme.
NGRC has been conducted under the auspices of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) with five concept studies being conducted, three by industry and two by militaries.
A study of novel powerplants was awarded in 2023 to GE Aerospace and another to Lockheed Martin last year into open systems architecture.
These two studies will inform a third company study into
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