The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is looking to add up to 14 new multi-role helicopters to its aviation fleet as part of its air fleet renewal and modernization initiative.
The agency made news last month with its most recent acquisition — two Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks on lease from Helicopter Transport Services for use in patrolling the U.S.-Canada border.
The new requirement — detailed in a recently-released request for information (RFI) — will further enhance the RCMP Air Services Program’s (ASP’s) fleet, which currently includes 11 helicopters and 21 fixed-wing aircraft across 19 air bases. These rotary-wing aircraft range from the Airbus H125 (seven), EC120 B (two) and a single H145 to the newly-acquired Black Hawks.
The H145 in the RCMP fleet joined in 2018, and has been well-received by the ASP. The RFI appears to identify an aircraft of the size and capability of the H145, which would also include the Leonardo AW169. The Bell 429 would also fit in the light twin category, but the RFI calls for eight passenger seats in the cabin.
A far-reaching evaluation of the RCMP ASP, released in December, found that the age of the RCMP air fleet “is a known issue and area of concern for the organization,” which “prevents the program from achieving its objectives” — particularly its ability to offer 24/7 response.
According to the evaluation, the average age of rotary-wing aircraft in the RCMP fleet is 19 years.
The newly-released RFI calls for “commercial off the shelf” helicopters, supplied with surveillance capabilities, to replace these aging aircraft.
“After several years without the adequate funding to renew the fleet, the RCMP National Air Fleet Renewal and Modernization initiative received full support from senior management in 2024,” the RFI notes. “The aim is to maintain and ever-green an appropriate mix of multi-role, short, medium and long-haul aircraft to fulfill the Air Services’ mandate. The Air Services’ fleet is currently composed of aging helicopters with obsolete mission systems which no longer meet the requirements for mandated mission.”
The RFI says the helicopter must be able to “safely complete a variety of law enforcement missions,” including hoisting, slinging, rappelling, tactical transport and public safety missions.
Multi-role mission scenarios detailed in the RFI include search-and-rescue, night rappel, and cargo transport and long line.
The RCMP expects the aircraft to be certified under Canadian Aviation Regulations, Chapter 527 — Normal Category Rotorcraft, and to be certified for dual pilot instrument flight rule (IFR) operation. It also calls for a four-axis autopilot system, and night vision imaging system capability.
The helicopters must fit inside existing RCMP hangar facilities. The aircrafts’ external dimensions must not exceed 11 feet wide (not including the main rotor), 17 feet high and 58 feet long (from rotor tip to tail).
Its surveillance system must include a forward-facing tactical flight officer (TFO) workstation in the cabin, an EO/IR sensor, monitors, recorders, a mapping system, downlink transmitter, modem/LAN, video switch, searchlight, and “associated components.”
The EO/IR sensor and mapping imagery must also be viewable from the co-pilot seat, with controls for the sensor, recorder, mapping and downlink controls available for use from the co-pilot seat.
The RCMP want the various mission kits to allow for quick removal and installation to adapt to different mission requirements.
Bidders must also show they have delivered helicopters of the same type to law enforcement agencies within the last five years.
The RFI is seeking an estimated cost for the aircraft with this equipment, and says further information regarding training; in-service support; and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) will also be requested.
The procurement schedule is still being finalized, but the RFI provides an estimated delivery schedule that has the first four aircraft delivered in 2027, another four in 2028, and the remainder delivered by 2033.
