Ottawa (AFP) - A week after announcing the withdrawal of fighter jets from Iraq, Canada's defense minister on Tuesday said it is swapping in four armored tactical Griffon helicopters to ferry special forces.

"The Griffon helicopters are being deployed for the safety of our troops in northern Iraq," Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan told parliament.

"They will be used for the transportation of our personnel because they provide increased force protection for our brave men and women in uniform," he said.

In place of the six F-18 fighter jets, Ottawa last week said it would triple the number of special forces training Kurdish militia in northern Iraq to about 210.

Canadian CC-150T Polaris refueling and CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft would also continue to play roles in the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group.