US approves German Chinook buy for USD8.5 billion

A rendering of the Chinook in Luftwaffe markings. Germany has been approved to buy 60 such helicopters for an estimated USD8.5 billion. (Boeing)

The US has approved the sale of Boeing CH-47F Block 2 Chinook helicopters to Germany for an estimated USD8.5 billion.

Announced on 11 May, the US Department of State's approval for the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) covers 60 extended-range helicopters, as well as mission equipment, spares, training, transportation, and support.

“The proposed sale will improve Germany's heavy-lift capability. Germany intends to use this enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in its approval notification.

Germany selected the Chinook for its Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) requirement in June 2022. In securing the requirement to replace the Luftwaffe's 70 VFW-Sikorsky CH-53G-series Stallion helicopters, the Chinook beat off competition from the Lockheed Martin CH-53K King Stallion.

Speaking at the 2022 ILA Berlin Air Show days after the selection, Michael Hostetter, vice-president of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Germany, said that if a contract were to be delivered in the first quarter of 2023 (as expected at the time, although now delayed from this timeframe), deliveries to the German customer could commence as soon as the first quarter of 2026.

Boeing's industrial offering comprises a partnership with Airbus Helicopters as part of a wider team that includes Aero-Bildung, CAE, Aircraft Philipp, Collins Aerospace, Cotesa Composites, Diehl Defence, Honeywell Aerospace, Liebherr, Reiser, and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd.