It was recently reported in the Ottawa Citizen that the Canadian Armed Forces plans to spend $18 billion to acquire new fleets of military helicopters.

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The good news for aviation buffs is that this plan envisions a mixed fleet of four distinct types of helicopters to support the Canadian Army.

The new fleets will include special operations, attack, reconnaissance and medium-lift helicopters, all in addition to the Royal Canadian Air Force’s relatively new fleet of 14 CH-147F Chinook heavy-lift transport choppers. Having five separate helicopter fleets to perform five separate tactical roles will be a major boost to the efficiency of the RCAF in support of the army.

Before 1992, Canada operated three separate helicopter fleets to tactically support soldiers on the battlefield. There were eight CH-147C Chinook heavy-lift transports, 74 CH-136 Kiowa reconnaissance light helicopters and 50 CH-135 Twin........

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