US DoD contracts Boeing to begin Chinook build for Germany

An artist's impression of the Chinook in German service. Boeing has now been contracted to build 60 such helicopters to be delivered to the Luftwaffe from 2027 to 2032. (Boeing)

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has contracted Boeing to build 60 CH-47F Chinook Block 2 helicopters for Germany.

Awarded on 27 October but not announced until 12 November, the five-year Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract is valued at USD876.4 million and runs through to 28 October 2028.

Germany selected the Chinook Standard Range (SR) air-to-air refuelling (AAR)-capable helicopter 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.

The Chinook is one of the three main priorities for the Luftwaffe, with the others being the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation combat aircraft and the Boeing-Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow ground-based air-defence system.

With the CH-53 heavy-lift helicopter set to go out of service in 2030, first Chinooks will be delivered from 2027 to 2032. The overall value of the German Chinook procurement is set at EUR6.98 billion (USD6.02 billion), which is being financed with funds from the EUR100 billion Bundeswehr special fund.

For more information on Germany's Chinook procurement, please see RNLAF helps Luftwaffe prepare Chinook capability .