Boeing awarded contract to deliver Chinook helicopter to RAF
US Special Operations Command awarded Boeing a US$578 million Foreign Military Sales contract to deliver 14 Chinook helicopters to the UK Royal Air Force (RAF)
“These Chinooks are the future of heavy-lift, built on an existing foundation of advanced capability and life cycle affordability,” said Andy Builta, Boeing Vice President and H-47 Program Manager. “This contract for Block II aircraft sets the stage for the next 60 years of Chinook excellence on the battlefield.”
Boeing and the RAF recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first Chinook delivery to the UK. Boeing will also celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chinook’s first flight later this year. The United Kingdom will be the first international operator of a Block II Chinook. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2026.
Supporting over 450 jobs in the UK
The Chinook fleet for the UK Ministry of Defence supports more than 450 jobs across the UK. Boeing colleagues provide maintenance and services support at Gosport, MOD Boscombe Down, and are embedded alongside the military at RAF Odiham.
AirMed&Rescue recently took a look at the latest versions of Royal Canadian Air Force Chinook helicopters, which are proving invaluable in their aeromedical evacuation role in Africa.