Boeing and Airbus Helicopters today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner on the H-47 Chinook offering for the heavy transport helicopter program, or STH (Schwerer Transporthubschrauber), which seeks to replace the Luftwaffe’s old CH-53G Sea Stallion fleet.
As reported in the Airbus press release, its partnership with Boeing will result in an industrial team that will deliver the highest operational availability and lowest costs throughout the life cycle of a potential German H-47 fleet.
“We are pleased that Airbus Helicopters has joined our team of strategic partners on the H-47 Chinook program for Germany, and together we will provide the strongest offering to the Bundeswehr,” said Mark Cherry, Boeing vice president and general manager, Vertical Lift programs. “The Chinook has been the preferred heavy-lift helicopter in Europe for decades and a cornerstone of all kinds of NATO operations. It is the only heavy-lift capable of providing Germany immediate interoperability with allied nations and is significantly more powerful, versatile and agile than any other aircraft in its class.”
The partnership will build on the combined strengths and expertise of the world’s leading aerospace companies to deliver advanced capability, readiness and innovative solutions as part of Germany’s H-47 Chinook industry offering.
“Building on decades of experience as a partner of the Bundeswehr, Airbus Helicopters is excited to join Boeing’s Chinook Germany industry team and to partner with Boeing on delivering maximum operational availability to the Bundeswehr,” said Wolfgang Schoder, General Manager of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. “The H-47 Chinook is a proven, mature program in service with many of our allies, and is the optimum solution for Germany with an excellent price-performance ratio.”
The collaboration agreement builds on the existing Chinook collaboration team of AERO-Bildung GmbH, CAE Elektronik GmbH, ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH, Lufthansa Technik, Honeywell Aerospace and Rolls-Royce Deutschland. Boeing is committed to working with German industry on aircraft maintenance, including post-delivery modifications and installations, aircraft maintenance, supply chain services, training and logistics support, as well as the potential for subsystem maintenance and overhaul work.
“With our Chinook offering and together with our German industry partners, we will create more than 500 highly skilled jobs in-country, all in direct support of the Bundeswehr’s heavy-lift mission requirements”, said Dr. Michael Haidinger, president, Boeing Germany.
As chosen by eight NATO nations – Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America – the Chinook has proven its unique capabilities and mission readiness in several theatres and has delivered on many other mission requirements, including Air-to-Air refueling, Medevac, troop transport, search and rescue and humanitarian and disaster relief, and special operations.
The number of times Chinoook helicopters refueled in the air, at all types of latitudes and from a wide variety of air tankers, is estimated at 10,000.
