IMP Aerospace & Defence Sees Domestic and International Success
By Joetey Attariwala
IMP Aerospace & Defence (booth 813) is a trusted partner to Canada and to customers around the world as one of Canada’s largest and longest standing aerospace and defence organizations. With over 2,400 staff at operations across Canada, IMP Aerospace & Defence is known worldwide for delivering a wide breadth of innovative and tailored support solutions to all branches of the military as well as government and commercial operators in the space, air, land and sea sectors.
In February the company announced that it signed a significant sub-contract with General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada (GDMS-C) to design and implement a Block I Avionics Update for the Portuguese Air Force’s five-aircraft P-3C CUP+ fleet. This upgrade will enhance that fleet with significant new capabilities including upgraded Identification Friend or Foe Transponder (IFFT), Link-16 communications, and Data Management System (DMS). The IMP Engineering design effort commenced immediately, with the prototype aircraft currently scheduled for induction in October 2023.
February also saw the announcement of the first flight of the CT-114 Tutor Avionics Upgrade prototype aircraft. This flight follows over two years of development, design, consultation and partnership between the Royal Canadian Air Force, L3Harris, and IMP Aerospace.
Designed by L3Harris, and implemented by IMP Aerospace at CFB Trenton, the Avionics Update expands the Tutor’s existing capabilities while adding extra safety features. The addition of the off-the-shelf Garmin GDU 1060 Electronic Flight Displays simplifies navigation, increases situational awareness, and reduces pilot workload. In addition to the new Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorders, the Tutor becomes ADS-B compliant, allowing its continued operation in controlled airspace across North America.
In April, IMP Aerospace received a major sub-contract for the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) Project, which will upgrade Canada’s CH-149 Cormorant Search and Rescue helicopter fleet, and will increase the fleet size to 16 helicopters.The company has been sub-contracted to undertake the upgrade of the 13 in-service AW101/CH-149 Cormorant helicopters at its facility in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The first three helicopters of the CMLU fleet will be completed at Leonardo’s United Kingdom facilities where IMP personnel will undertake on-the-job training in order to complete the build of the remaining 13 CMLU helicopters in Canada.
“This contract award acknowledges our unique experience with the CH-149 and our vital role in its sustainment both now and into the future. Our partnership with Canada and Leonardo ensures uninterrupted world-leading SAR availability during the CMLU program and the transition to the next-generation Cormorant fleet,” said David Gossen, President of IMP Aerospace & Defence.
