US approves Chinook sale to South Korea
South Korea’s military needs to replace older Chinook helicopters, and the solution is 18 new CH-47Fs from Boeing. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
South Korea's army and air force are ploughing ahead with plans to modernise its heavy-lift helicopter fleet.
The US State Department has approved the Foreign Military Sale of 18 CH-47F Chinook helicopters to South Korea, it was announced on 6 December.
The proposed package is worth $1.5 billion, and it follows South Korea’s endorsement on 15 July of a plan to replace in-service Chinooks with new ones under the Heavy-lift Helicopter-II programme.
At that time, South Korea anticipated that the future purchase would cost KRW1.4 trillion ($1.06 billion).
As well as the helicopters, the proposed package includes six extra T55-GA-714A engines, 22 Common Missile Warning Systems and forty-four RT-1987 secure radios.
The US government said the new helicopters
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The €1.22 billion (US$1.41 billion) follow-on order for the additional helicopters will complement the 19 AW249 already ordered by Italy.
