Canadian helicopters in Iran






A few weeks ago, I noticed the presence of Canadian built CH-146 Griffon (Bell-412) helicopters in the Iranian military inventory.

First, I wondered how they got to Iran, a country that has been under military embargo since the fall of the late Shah of Iran in 1979, but later I realized how the regime acquired these aircrafts.

In the first picture, you'd be able to see a Bell 412 helicopter, in the background, owned by the Iranian oil company but in the second and third pictures you can clearly see them in the Iranian military camo. And the third one shows that it is now being used to transport VIPs.

My sources told me that 12 of these aircrafts were ordered by the Shah's government in 1978 to Bell company, but the revolution of 1979 didn't let Bell to sell them to the new regime and in 1989 Bell Textron company moved its headquarters and factory to Canada. In early 1990s, Iranians could buy them from Canada directly and they were shipped in an An-124 Ruslan to Tehran.

What is disturbing is the fact that civilian aircrafts acquired by the Iranian government are now serving as Military machines. This is a simple example of why the west shouldn't trust the Iranian regime at all.

Any one knows more about the possible deal between the Canadian government and Iranian regime in 1990s over these choppers?

They look a lot like UH-1 Hueys

Originally Posted by Mohmar Deathstrike

They look a lot like UH-1 Hueys

LoL

They have 4 rotors not 2

Well, two of those Huey has 2 rotors.

The top photo is indeed a Huey, but the two in the second photo are Griffons. They do not have two rotors, but they have 4 rotor blades rather than the 2 that we usually see on utility choppers of that size. I do know that the Mirabel factory does produce the
Griffon, but I wonder if it is produced anywhere else. What we really need to know are the tail numbers of those aircraft, then they can be traced.
Dean.

Originally Posted by phoenix80

LoL

They have 4 rotors not 2

Ah yes the one on the bottom right has 4 rotor blades on the main rotor (still has 2 rotors though )

They're transport helicopters, not like they have apaches or anything.

Originally Posted by WarMachine

They're transport helicopters, not like they have apaches or anything.

That's right. The main Iranian attack helicopter is the AH-1 Cobra.