Ottawa has quietly amended its contract with the maker of the navy's new Cyclone helicopters to ensure that the choppers will not only be able to hunt submarines, but also carry troops.

The design change, expected to add roughly $5 million to the overall price tag, would allow the air force to assign the choppers to a wide variety of different roles - including potential air support for the army in Afghanistan.

The Defence Department, however, denies that it's making the move with the Afghan mission specifically in mind.

Col Dave Burt, director of air requirements for the department, acknowledged that being able to strip the H-92 quickly of its sonar and radar gear, and strap in troop seats, was not part of the initial design for the Cyclones, the long-awaited replacements for the decades-old Sea Kings.

The change "will provide us with far better flexibility and capability," said Burt.

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