AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant

AgustaWestland · Italy · first flew 2000 · helicopter

The CH-149 Cormorant is Canada's primary military search and rescue helicopter, a variant of the AgustaWestland AW101 (EH101) operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	3 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Distinctive sponsons on lower fuselage sides for emergency flotation
T — Tail	Conventional

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Canadian military SAR helicopter based on AW101/EH101
Three-engine heavy helicopter with five-blade main rotor
Distinctive sponsons on lower fuselage sides for emergency flotation

Large three-engine helicopter with a five-blade main rotor, four-blade tail rotor, rear loading ramp, and buoyancy sponsons along the lower fuselage.

Specifications

The AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant has a length of 22.81 m (75 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18.59 m (61 ft).
Its maximum speed is 309 km/h (192 mph).
Typical crew: 4 crew plus up to 30 survivors.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Procured in the late 1990s to replace the aging Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador and Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King in the SAR role, the first CH-149 entered Canadian service around 2001. The aircraft is based at SAR wings across Canada.

Variants

The CH-149 is the Canadian SAR-configured variant of the AW101; the platform also serves in other roles with other nations as the Merlin and Leonardo AW101.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by the Royal Canadian Air Force at 413, 424, and 442 Transport and Rescue Squadrons; not operated by the UK despite the shared AW101 lineage (UK uses the Merlin).

Related aircraft

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