There you go, Less Hair.
https://www.reuters.com/business/aer...er-2022-06-01/Germany picks Boeing's Chinook helicopters to replace Sikorsky fleet
Reuter
A Chinook helicopter flies over the city centre during a military parade marking Greece's Independence Day, in Athens, Greece, March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi
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RegisterBERLIN, June 1 (Reuters) - Germany will buy 60 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing
(BA.N) to replace its ageing CH-53K fleet, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Wednesday, in a blow to rival Lockheed Martin
(LMT.N) that had also competed for the order.
"With this model we are strengthening our ability to cooperate in Europe," added Lambrecht, who did not say how much the helicopters would cost, during a speech to the Bundestag lower house of parliament.
According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.
A crucial argument for the Chinook was its global use, German Chief of Defence Eberhard Zorn told reporters.
More than 500 Chinooks are in use by the U.S. Army and forces in Europe, which means spare parts are readily available, so the helicopters can be operated for a long time.
The CH-53K is only used by the U.S. Marines and Israel, Zorn said.
Boeing, with its trademark tandem rotor Chinook, and Lockheed's Sikorsky, with its CH-53K, are the only Western companies offering this type of military helicopter.
Over recent years, the Bundeswehr has repeatedly postponed its decision on buying new heavy-lift helicopters.
It relied heavily on the old CH-53, which it had been flying since the 1970s, for its mission in Afghanistan. The operation revealed the ageing helicopter's shortcomings, with much maintenance work needed to keep it in the air.
($1 = 0.9323 euros)