Canada Upgrading CFB Shearwater

CH-124 & FFH:HMCS St Johns(click to view full) Back in 1994, Canadian Forces Base Shearwater was downsized and most of its tenants moved to nearby Halifax, Nova Scotia on Canada’s east cost. The base, which had been active since 1918 and supported the RCAF for almost as long, became a heliport. Some of its land was set aside for sale. All that changed when the Canadian government finally decided to purchase an H-92 Superhawk variant as its CH-148 maritime helicopter in November 2004. DND’s C$3.2 billion 20-year in-service support contract required them to provide functional space within 12 Wing infrastructure for Sikorsky to set up various integrated support services. Suddenly, the lost land had to be restored – and now, C$ 170 million (about $160 million) will be spent to ensure that CFB Shearwater has the promised capabilities when 12 Wing trades in its CH-124 Sea Kings for new CH-148 Cyclones. CFB Shearwater(click to view full) The program has two components: a heliport upgrade (C$ 24.3 million), and service and support facility tear-downs and rebuilds. The overall effort is expected to lead to 1,500 jobs in the region while it lasts; other tasks include: Hangar demolition, reconstruction of an operations […]