Boeing offered CH-47F Chinook Block II heavy-lift helicopter to Poland

Boeing announced today at the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) that it has officially proposed the CH-47F Chinook Block II heavy-lift helicopter to Poland.

This development follows several discussions that have taken place over the past few months between Boeing and Polish officials, as noted by Adam Hodges, the business development lead for vertical lift programs at Boeing.

It remains uncertain how many helicopters Warsaw would be willing to order if it proceeds with the acquisition of the US Army aircraft, or whether a broader industry competition will commence in the near future. Should a competition arise, Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, could present a challenge to the Chinook proposal with its US Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion.

This situation would mirror Europe’s last significant heavy-lift helicopter procurement, where Germany chose to purchase 60 Chinooks, making it the first export customer for the Block II configuration.

Meanwhile, Hodges redirected inquiries regarding the number of aircraft and the specific requirements to the Polish Ministry of Defence.

Indra Dulvenoorde, Boeing’s government services director for Europe, Israel, Canada, and Latin America, indicated that discussions on offset requirements have yet to occur, suggesting that Poland is still in the preliminary stages of any new heavy-lift helicopter initiative.

Hodges emphasized that the Chinook would be a valuable asset for the Polish military, aligning with its NATO partners, as eight alliance members currently operate the aircraft. Additionally, Germany’s order for 60 helicopters positions it as the inaugural CH-47F Block II export customer.

Poland has also placed an order for 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters as part of its Kruk program, while Boeing is advocating for the sale of F-15EX fourth-generation fighter jets to Warsaw, which aims to acquire 32 aircraft to meet its air dominance needs.

The US Army’s CH-47F Block II initiative had previously faced potential cancellation.