Dumb question time... and not for the first time, obviously.
Back in the spring, Italy ordered CH-47F (or ICH-47F to be precise), [see
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...opters-05413/], with AW as the prime, and Boeing as a key supplier, with assembly taking place in Italy.
But (well, according to DID), "Their industrial partnership includes a licensing arrangement that lets AgustaWestland market, sell and produce the Boeing CH-47F Chinook to Britain, other European countries.' So bingo, here's a "solution" that keeps AW (though possibly not Yeovil) happy, allows Boeing to concentrate on CH-47F / MH-47G production in Philly, and gets the UK some additional Chinooks.
But what of the detail? Will these be pukka CH-47Fs? I'm sure I'll be corrected if this "gen" is duff, but I understood that the HC2/HC2a was a slightly odd Brit-specific CH-47C/D mix, presumably made more bespoke with the new digital cockpit.
So are we going to procure a CH-47F with a Brit cockpit (ahh, what could possibly go wrong!?!) or are we going to get the same as everyone else + UK comms?
Yours curiously,
S41