Glossary term
CSH (combat support helicopter)
TERM SUMMARY
CSH is the NATO abbreviation for combat support helicopter, in French hélicoptère d'appui au combat or hélicoptère de soutien au combat.
- Why it matters
- CSH stands for combat support helicopter . It is the expansion listed in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations (AAP-15), which is the reference military staff use to keep abbreviations consistent across allied...
- Category
- Canadian government procurement terminology
- Reference role
- This term page is designed to be linkable, crawlable, and easy to quote or summarize.
CSH stands for combat support helicopter. It is the expansion listed in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations (AAP-15), which is the reference military staff use to keep abbreviations consistent across allied forces. You can check the entry in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations.
Canadian suppliers should also know that the same three letters carry a second meaning in Canadian defence reporting. The Department of National Defence used CSH for the Canadian Search and Rescue Helicopter project. Which meaning applies depends on the document in front of you, so read the context before assuming.
How NATO defines CSH
NATO lists CSH as the abbreviation for "combat support helicopter". The term belongs to NATO military terminology and appears in the alliance's bilingual glossary, which is published in English and French. NATO also maintains NATOTerm, a database of non-classified military terminology relevant to NATO, available through the NATOTerm portal.
For a supplier, the practical point is that CSH in a NATO or allied-interoperability document refers to a helicopter role, not to a specific aircraft type or a contract vehicle. The glossary gives the expansion; the technical detail comes from the document that uses it.
French equivalents for CSH
Canada operates in both official languages, and NATO gives two French equivalents for the term: hélicoptère d'appui au combat and hélicoptère de soutien au combat. Both are recorded in the same glossary entry.
- English: combat support helicopter
- French: hélicoptère d'appui au combat
- French: hélicoptère de soutien au combat
Bilingual bid responses, technical proposals and translated documentation should use the terminology the solicitation uses. Where a tender is silent, the NATO equivalents are the recognized reference.
CSH as the Canadian Search and Rescue Helicopter project
In its major-project reporting, the Department of National Defence used CSH to mean Canadian Search and Rescue Helicopter. The department was the sponsor, and Public Services and Procurement Canada was identified as the contracting authority. The project supported search-and-rescue services for Canada's population, as set out in the 2017-18 status report on transformational and major Crown projects.
The project involved acquiring 15 helicopters to replace the CH-113 Labrador fleet. The contract was awarded to AgustaWestland International Limited, later identified as Leonardo MW Ltd. The capability was delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force, as the 2018-19 status report also records.
This is a project-specific use of the acronym. It describes a search-and-rescue acquisition and is separate from the NATO term for a combat support helicopter.
What CSH means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts
The acronym does not create a supplier obligation by itself. What binds a bidder is the specific solicitation: its statement of work, technical requirements, security provisions and contract clauses. Read those first, and confirm whether CSH in a given document means combat support helicopter or Canadian Search and Rescue Helicopter.
To find current opportunities, use the CanadaBuys tender opportunities page. To review how past helicopter-related work was awarded, use the CanadaBuys guidance on searching award notices and contract history.