This Program proposed by ‘Team Cormorant’ (led by Leonardo and IMP Aerospace and Defence with CAE, GE Canada and Rockwell Collins Canada ) aims to upgrade and expand the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Rotary Wing Search and Rescue Cormorant fleet currently composed by14 Cormorant helicopters, and the augmentation through EH101-519 helicopters.

The CMLU will address obsolescence through commonality of equipment, reestablish MOB Trenton with CMLU helicopters to sustain a robust all weather SAR capability across Canada, reduce the cost of ownership, while increasing reliability, capability and safety.

The CMLU presents a low risk and cost effective solution for Canada. It provides capability improvements from the new Norwegian AW101 SAR helicopter to enhance overall mission effectiveness, incorporating  the latest avionic and mission systems, advanced radars, latest technology sensors, vision enhancement and tracking systems.

The Lynx Family of Helicopters has been continuously developed over the last 40 years (15 Nations) to provide a multi-role, multi-mission capability in both Maritime and Battlefield utility roles. Thanks to the Mid-Life Upgrade program Leonardo Helicopters will extend the operational capability of Lynx.

The MLU program upgrades the in-service Lynx aircrafts to introduce modern systems and increased reliability. At the heart of the MLU is a new avionics core, based on the AW159, including new Integrated Display Units as well as a Tactical Processor which integrates the new and legacy mission systems.

Where the Customer has multiple Lynx family configurations Leonardo will identify cost effective upgrade paths that can combine both the Lynx and AW159 aircraft systems to support a converging common configuration, delivering further through-life cost of ownership advantages.