Preliminary discussions lead Boeing to offer CH-47F Chinook to Poland

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

The move follows on from a number of discussions held over the “last few months” between the manufacturer and Polish officials, according to Adam Hodges, business development lead for vertical lift programs at Boeing.

It remains to be seen how many aircraft Warsaw would commit to, should it go ahead with an order of the US Army aircraft, or if a wider industry competition is to begin near term.

If a competition does go ahead, Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky could rival a Chinook bid with the US Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion. That scenario would effectively amount to a rerun of Europe’s last major heavy-lift helicopter acquisition, where Germany opted to order 60 Chinooks. The commitment by Berlin means it is set to become the first export customer of the Block II configuration.

Meanwhile, Hodges deferred questions on aircraft numbers regarding the Polish effort and the “scope” of requirements to the Polish Ministry of Defence.

Adding to the sense that Warsaw is at the very early stages of any new heavy-lift helicopter program, Indra Dulvenoorde, government services director for Europe, Israel, Canada and Latin America at Boeing, said that talks on offset requirements have not taken place.

The Chinook is “a tremendous asset that the Polish military could utilize and be in alignment with its NATO partners,” said Hodges, referring to eight alliance operators of the rotorcraft. Additionally, Germany has placed an order for 60 aircraft and is set to become the first CH-47F Block II export customer.

Poland has ordered 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for its Kruk program, while the manufacturer is also lobbying Warsaw for the sale of F-15EX fourth generation fighter jets, aligned to an air dominance requirement that foresees the acquisition of 32 aircraft.

The US Army’s CH-47F Block II line of effort was once facing cancellation but looks to have a secure long term future ahead, due to a full-rate production contract slated for award in late fiscal 2025, if all goes to plan, according to a senior service official.

Boeing noted in a company statement that the Block II provides increased “lift and range” over the older Block 1 aircraft.