The U.S. State Department authorized the possible sale of 18 CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopters to the Republic of South Korea for US$1.5 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) issued a statement reporting the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of South Korea of:
- 18 Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopters
- 42 T55-GA-714A engines (36 installed and 6 spares)
- 22 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) (18 installed, 4 spares)
- 44 secure radios, RT-1987 (36 installed, 8 spares)
Also included are AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Systems; AN/ARC-220 HF Airborne Communications Systems; AN/APX-123A IFF transponders; AN/ARN-147; AN/ARN 153; AN/APN-209; secure radios; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; repair and return; storage; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total program cost is $1.5 billion.
See also: Germany makes its choice for Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook official
Interest in the Chinook had already been expressed in July this year, when South Korea’s Defense Projects Promotion Committee approved extra budget allocations of approximately $1 billion to procure new CH-47Fs by 2028. The project is designed to replace the aging fleet of CH-47D helicopters currently operational in the South Korean Army.
