Canada intends to take 28 CH-148s (Picture: defpro.daily, MoND)

08:31 GMT, November 18, 2008 With a huge delay, the long-expected maiden flight of the Sikorsky build CH-148 Cyclone has taken place in Florida last Saturday. The much-delayed aircraft designed for the Canadian Air Force, which initial delivery was scheduled for November 2008, is likely to be delayed for up to 33 months due to issues encountered with the fitting out of the aircraft. Thus, the Cyclone’s are not expected to be released into service until 2010/2011.

The Canadian Armed Forces intend to take 28 CH-148s to replace their fleet of CH-124 Sea Kings which are in use with the Navy. After a much troubled competition, the Cyclone won the tender of the Canadian Maritime Helicopter (CMH) Project on November 23, 2004. The cost of the twenty-eight Sikorsky build H-92 Superhawk helicopters, to become known as the CH-148 Cyclone, was €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) with a additional € 2 billion ($2.5 billion) 20-year servicing agreement.

During its maiden flight, the CH-148 which features fully digital fly-by-wire technology hovered and accomplished low-speed handling tasks including forward flight at speeds reaching 30 knots as well as sideward and rearward maneuvers.

According to a Sikorsky spokesman, the test-helicopter will continue to undergo a series of increasingly demanding flight tests leading up to certification and production deliveries.

"The CH-148 helicopter will be a world leader in sophistication and capability for maritime helicopters," Programme Manager Dan Hunter said commenting on the first flight. "Today's successful first flight represents a huge milestone, transitioning the programme from the prototype build to the flight test stage. The aircraft performed beautifully, easily achieving each maneuver attempted. We're extremely pleased."

The CH-148 helicopter will have capabilities including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, and troop and cargo transport. It will be fully equipped for ship-based operations including automatic blade and tail fold systems and a deck to aircraft recovery assist system.

Building upon Sikorsky's rugged S-92 helicopter, the CH-148 represents the next step in the company’s long planned extension of the S-92 helicopter into the H-92 helicopter product line, including a glass cockpit with advanced avionics, systems allowing flight into known icing conditions, flaw tolerant components and state-of-the-art search and rescue equipment. The Cyclone will incorporate additional mission systems including Forward- Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR), 360 degree search radar, passive and active acoustics systems, threat surveillance and countermeasure capabilities, and network link communications.

"The stringent qualification and certification standards of the S-92 helicopter will be further extended through the Canadian military certification process resulting in an aircraft that will meet the most exacting civil and military standards in the world," said Hunter. "Its proven and expanded design focused on reliability, maintainability and safety will provide operational capabilities at world-class life cycle support cost levels."

However, the Canadian Government is proving penalty fees against Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.