▁direct - fire ▁capabilities ▁with ▁rock ets ▁and ▁guns , ▁but ▁shift ed ▁its ▁primary ▁mission ▁to ▁anti - t ank , ▁carrying ▁eight ▁TO W ▁miss iles . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁a ▁further ▁ 1 0 0 ▁new - build ▁A H - 1 S ' s ▁were ▁ordered . ▁ ▁In ▁Canada , ▁the ▁tests ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁bol ster ▁arguments ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁mobile ▁force ▁structure . ▁However , ▁when ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁hel ic op ters ▁was ▁considered , ▁it ▁appeared ▁there ▁was ▁only ▁enough ▁money ▁to ▁equip ▁one ▁formation ▁with ▁the ▁required ▁number ▁of ▁aircraft . ▁This ▁would ▁leave ▁the ▁forces ▁in ▁Canada ▁both ▁under - equ ipped ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁perform ▁real istic ▁training . ▁Having ▁repeatedly ▁suggested ▁a ▁status ▁qu o ▁approach , ▁updating ▁the ▁Cent ur ions ▁in ▁both ▁Europe ▁and ▁Canada , ▁a ▁wait ▁and ▁see ▁approach ▁developed . ▁An ▁additional ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁Canadian ▁decision ▁was ▁the ▁advoc acy ▁of ▁Major ▁Norman ▁Sh ack leton , ▁who ▁wrote ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁influ ential ▁and ▁widely ▁quoted ▁pro - t ank ▁articles ▁throughout ▁this ▁period . ▁Among ▁these ▁was ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁article ▁that ▁concluded : ▁"... ▁the ▁for em ost ▁ant it ank ▁weapon ▁is ▁probably ▁another ▁tank ▁s ited ▁in ▁the ▁defense ." ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁hel ic opter ▁cont ing ent ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁purchased , ▁while ▁a ▁new ▁tank ▁cont ing ent ▁of