Saudi Arabia wants Chinook helicopters
The US State Department has approved a $3.51 billion foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia of CH-47F Chinook helicopters and related equipment, training and support, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 8 December.
Saudi Arabia has requested 48 CH-47F Chinook helicopters, 112 T55-GA-714A engines, 116 embedded GPS inertial navigation systems, 58 AN/AAR-57 common missile warning systems, and 48 M240H 7.62mm machine guns with spare parts.
In addition to this, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended range fuel system, ballistic armour protection system, and support.
The helicopters will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command's interoperability with the US and advance the development of the country's heavy lift helicopter capability.
If it goes ahead the prime contractors for the sale will be Boeing and Honeywell Aerospace.
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