Australian Chinook buy to replace not augment existing army fleet
Australia's proposed $US560 million acquisition of seven new Boeing CH-47F helicopters will be as a replacement for existing CH-47D aircraft rather than augment that fleet according to the new national defence white paper issued 2 May.
The replacement programme has been launched to offset reduced life of type of the existing six CH-47Ds as a result of sustained deployment into Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Australian military operations in those countries.
The white paper says that the replacement programme also reflects an anticipated increased demand for in-theatre vertical lift.
"Operations in our region will generate considerable demands for intra-theatre
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