Cyclone Prototye Arrives

Canada's Defence Minister toured the long-awaited replacement for our country's aged Sea King helicopters. The Sikorsky Cyclone has arrived at CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia. But this is just a prototype of the real deal and what an historic deal it's been.

Canada ordered 28 Cyclones in 2004 at a price of about three billion dollars. They were supposed to be delivered in 2008 but it may be another two years before all of the choppers are in use.

The Auditor General, last year, estimated the new cost of the Cyclones combined with the cost of repairs and maintenance on the Sea Kings totals more than six billion dollars.

The Sea Kings have been flying since 1963 and most experts agree they should have been grounded 10 to 20 years ago.

There are six Sea Kings at 443 Squadron at Patricia Bay and they will eventually be replaced by the Cyclones. The rest of the chopper fleet will remain on the East Coast.

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News & Politics

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• CFB Shearwater
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• Cyclone
• Helicopters
• Sea King
• Replacement
• Purchase
• Meribeth Burton