The Department of National Defence plans to turn five Sea King helicopters (that's one on the left) — which have a history of reliability problems — into troop carriers.
The Sea King troop carrier version could end up in Afghanistan, according to some military sources I spoke to.
In Afghanistan, Canadian troops don't have their own helicopters. The British, Americans and Dutch all do.
Ironically, the Mulroney government sold the Chinook helicopters Canada once used to move troops around to the Dutch. The Dutch are now using them in Afghanistan, where they occasionally give lifts to Canadian troops . . . [Read the full story and click on my video report on the right side of the page you'll be taken to]
Hat tip for the inspiration on this story to the folks at The Torch and Army.ca.