Almost USD 600 million for new heavy-lift helis
US Special Operations Command awarded Boeing a USD 599 million foreign military sales contract approved by the US state department to deliver 14 extended-range Chinook helicopters to the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF). These upgraded H-47 give the RAF fleet more versatility to execute domestic and international heavy-lift missions.
Andy Builta, Boeing VP and H-47 programme manager: "These Chinooks are the future of heavy-lift, built on an existing foundation of advanced capability and life cycle affordability." Deliveries to UK as the first international operator of a Block II Chinook are scheduled to start in 2026.
Boeing and the RAF recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first delivery to UK. Boeing will also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chinook’s first flight later this year. (ah)