Boeing could score two major foreign sales of its CH-47F Chinook and AE-64E Apache helicopters, following the US State Department’s approval this week.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency released five major weapons sales today as the US Congress closes for the holiday break. The announcements include a possible foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia for Chinooks worth $3.51 billion and another FMS to the United Arab Emirates estimated at $3.5 billion. The potential foreign sales could stretch the E model Apache and F-model Chinook production lines, which Boeing had planned to end in 2026 and 2019, respectively.
During the AUSA Annual meeting in Washington DC this October, Boeing officials indicated they were banking on foreign sales for the Chinook and told reporters the company was in discussions with Germany over its heavy lift programme.
If approved, Saudi Arabia would receive 48 CH-47s, 112 Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines and 16 spares. The sale would also include 116 embedded GPS inertial navigation systems, 58 AN/AAR-57 common missile warning systems and 48 M240H 7.62mm machine guns, according to DSCA.
The UAE has requested 28 AH-64E remanufactured Apache Attack Helicopters, nine new E models and 76 GE T700-GE-701D Engines, including 18 engines and 56 remanufactured engines. The sale would also include 39 AN/ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/AN/AAR-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors,46 AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems and 44 manned-unmanned teaming-international (MUMTi) systems.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
