A rendering of a Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopter in Luftwaffe service. (Boeing)

The Budget Committee of the German parliament approved the procurement of 60 Boeing CH-47F Block II Chinook heavy-lift helicopters on 5 July.

The EUR6.98 billion (USD7.61 billion) budget approval came about two months after the US government gave the green light for the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme that includes 60 extended-range helicopters, as well as mission equipment, spares, training, transportation, and support. The deal is financed from funds from the Bundeswehr special fund.

“Good and correct decision! A mature helicopter used by many partners. Another big step towards a turning point,” Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, chief of the Luftwaffe, said in response to the budgetary approval.

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.