The US State Department has approved a determination allowing a prospective Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Egypt of 23 CH-47F Chinook Helicopters and supporting equipment for an estimated cost of USD 2,6 billion. The Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya (Egyptian Air Force) will utilise the new transporters.
Egypt has requested the purchase of 23 CH-47F Chinook helicopters, 56 T-55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines (46 installed, 10 spares), 52 GPS Inertial Navigation Systems (EGI) (46 installed, 6 spares), 29 AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) (23 installed, 6 spares), and 75 M-240 machine guns (69 installed, 6 spares). Ground support equipment, airframe and engine spare parts, technical data, and publications are all included. MWOs/ECPs (Maintenance Work Orders/Engineering Change Proposals); technical help; transportation; training; and other logistical and program support aspects.
Egypt’s heavy lift capability will be enhanced as a result of the proposed agreement. They will have no trouble assimilating these equipment and services into their armed forces because they already have nineteen CH-47D Chinook helicopters in their inventory. The heavy transporters are based at Kom Awshim air base and are operated by 18 Squadron, part of 546 Air Wing, and 33 Squadron/Chinook OCU. The new CH-47Fs will most likely be based with a new unit at Kom Awshim.
