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CH-148 Cyclone temporarily stationed at Maritime Airfield De Kooy
 
Latest update: April 2021
 
Royal Canadian Air Force CH-148 Cyclone squadrons
 
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) purchased 28 CH-148 (Sikorsky S-92) helicopters. All are assigned to 12 Wing based at CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia. Three squadrons are assigned to the Wing:

406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron is stationed at CFB Shearwater and responsible for CH-148 Cyclone training.

423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron is stationed at CFB Shearwater from where they provide air detachments known as HELAIRDETs in support of the Royal Canadian Navy Atlantic Fleet.
 
443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron is stationed at Patricia Bay, British Colombia from where they provide three helicopter air detachments known as HELAIRDETs in support of the Royal Canadian Navy Pacific Fleet based in Esquimalt, B.C.

One Cyclone was lost in an incident on April 29, 2020. The helicopter was deployed on HMCS Fredericton under Operation REASSURANCE when it crashed in the Ionian Sea. All six occupants of the helicopter were fatally injured.
 
Maritime Airfield De Kooy
 
Maritime Airfield De Kooy is home to Royal Netherlands Air Force 7 and 860 squadrons. Both squadrons transferred from Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) command to the RNLAF on July 10, 2008. At De Kooy 7 squadron is responsible for training on the NH90 and its operations onboard RNLN vessels. 860 squadron has all 19 helicopters assigned after one was lost while operating in the Caribbean on July 19, 2020 resulting in the loss of two of its four crewmembers. Most of their missions are conducted in the maritime domain while occasionally land missions are flown.
 
423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron deployment onboard HMCS Halifax.
 
On New Year’s Day Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Halifax left its home port of Halifax to join Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) as part of a six-month deployment to Operation REASSURANCE. 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron deployed on of its CH-148 Cyclone helicopters on the vessel. The Halifax operates in the Western and Northern European waters and conducts operational patrols and training with allies. During its deployment, the Halifax will serve as the flagship for SNMG1.

On April 12, 2021 HMCS Halifax arrived in RNLN harbor Den Helder for a scheduled two-week visit. The Cyclone was flown from the ship to nearby De Kooy. From the airfield the helicopter and its crew flew several missions in The Netherlands. On April 21 during a visit to De Kooy we witnessed two flights made by the crew of 23 Maritime Helicopter Squadron. The first flight departed during afternoon and saw the Cyclone fly towards Deelen Air Base to conducts its training. After arriving back at De Kooy the CH-148 was refueled and then took off early in the evening, again heading to Deelen. When it arrived back it requested time to use the slopes for some further training.
 
CH-148 Cyclone, 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, photo gallery