Egypt receives first US-made Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters

Egypt has received the first batch of Boeing CH-47F Block II Chinook heavy-lift helicopters as part of a $426 million Foreign Military Sales agreement with the United States. The delivery ceremony took place at the El Alamein International Airshow.

The new aircraft are intended to replace Egypt’s aging fleet of CH-47D Chinooks. The CH-47F Block II variant features advanced digital cockpits, more efficient engines, larger fuel tanks, and enhanced mission management systems. These helicopters are capable of transporting over 30 fully equipped personnel or external loads of up to 11.8 tons.

To support the new fleet, Egypt is upgrading the Anchas Air Base northeast of Cairo. The infrastructure project includes the construction of a maintenance hangar, expanded aprons, and upgraded taxiways. The total order consists of 12 helicopters, with the delivery process beginning earlier than originally anticipated.