Egypt has purchased new Boeing CH-47F Chinooks to modernize its fleet of heavy-lift cargo helicopters.
According to a press release from U.S. aerospace and defense company Boeing, the U.S. Army has awarded the company a contract to produce 12 new CH-47F Chinooks for the Egyptian Air Force.
With this $426 million foreign military sale, Egypt will replace its fleet of CH-47D aircraft with the modern F model, and benefit from its advanced multi-mission capabilities.
“The F-model aircraft will enhance Egypt’s Chinook capabilities and help effectively accomplish its heavy-lift objectives,” said Ken Eland, vice president and H-47 program manager. “Boeing’s partnership with the Egyptian Air Force remains strong as we continue to work together to modernize their fleet.”
The CH-47F is an advanced multi-mission helicopter for the U.S. Army and international defense forces. It contains a fully integrated, digital cockpit management system, Common Avionics Architecture System cockpit and advanced cargo-handling capabilities complementing the aircraft’s mission performance and handling characteristics.
“Boeing is committed to supporting the defense modernization mission of the Egyptian armed forces and ensuring the best capability for Egypt’s national defense and security,” added Vince Logsdon, vice president, Boeing International Business Development.
The CH-47F has been engineered to include improvements designed to make the helicopter more reliable and keep it flying longer. The newest version of the helicopter contains new avionics, a redesigned ramp and rear rotor pylon, and incorporates new countermeasures against ground to air missiles.
The fuselage has been redesigned to make it more rugged and corrosion resistant. The new version CH-47 is also designed to make it easier to prepare it for shipment in the fuselage of a C-5 or C-17 cargo plane. Externally the CH-47F looks like a CH-47D, except for a new paint job designed to make the helicopter harder to spot.
Team Chinook is led by the U.S. Army, who with 19 allied international customers, collectively operate a fleet of more than 950 aircraft.