Starting next month, Canada’s government will take delivery of six interim CH-148 Cyclone multi-mission, ship-based helicopters ahead of 2012 deliveries of the finished version. The interim version will have partially compliant mission system software and slightly lower performance specs than the finished version. The fly-by-wire CH-148 derives from the civil S-92 medium twin. Although a military aircraft, it is designed with civil certification in mind, according to program managers. CH-148 technology could thus be used in future civil Sikorsky aircraft.
The preliminary version of the software will allow “the majority” of the sensors and weapons to be operated–but not in a fully integrated fashion. Despite partial mission capabilities, the interim helicopter will be able to “achieve targeted progress,” Canada’s National Defense said in late July. The delay in software development is one more mishap in the program.
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