 |
| Boeing's CH-47F Chinook Helicopter |
by Chris Pocock
Indonesia looks set to become the 24th country to acquire the Boeing CH-47 Chinook. “They have asked the U.S. government for a Letter of Offer, and I’m meeting them here,” said Jeff Kohler, v-p global sales for Boeing Defense, Space & Security yesterday. The number required was still uncertain, he added. Previous media reports about this potential sale have speculated on four to eight helicopters.
Reviewing other sales prospects in the Asian region at a media roundtable, Kohler said that Japan would probably buy “a few more” V-22 Ospreys. That country became the first international customer for the tilt-rotor last June, with an order for five. At that time, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the potential sale involving 17 going to Japan. But Boeing officials freely admit, the sticker price is an initial hurdle to overcome. Kohler said the company was crafting a multi-year buy proposal for the Pentagon that would increase the scope for international buys. Singapore had expressed some interest, he added.
The long saga of Indian new-fighter procurement cropped up, after Boeing chief executive officer Dennis Muilenberg told local media there earlier this month that the company was “having conversations” about manufacturing the F/A-18 Super Hornet in India. That jet was eliminated from India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) evaluation, but the country later chose to abandon the 126-aircraft MMRCA program that included licensed production, in favor of an order for 36 Rafales from the French production line. That contract is still not signed.
Read the full story at AINonline