Boeing's CH-47F Chinook Helicopter Handed Over to IAF at Transfer Ceremony Held in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, February 2: In a big boost to Indian Air Force, the Boeing on Friday handed over the first CH-47F Chinook Helicopter to India at a transfer ceremony held in Boeing Defense facility in Philadelphia. Indian ambassador to the United States of America (USA) Harsh Shringla, DGAO, Air Marshal A Dev, from Air HQ (Vayu Bhawan), Consul General of India in New York Sandeep Chakravorty and Air Attache Air Cmde Shivanand were present at the ceremony. 

Shangrila lauded the Boeing for their commitment to ‘make in India’ and also appreciated growing industry partnerships between India and the US. According to reports, facilities will be set up near Okhla to re-assemble and test-fly the helicopters. The Chinooks will be later flown to their permanent base in Chandigarh, after acceptance trials. Two hangars and a maintenance bay are to be set up in Chandigarh along with associated technical and logistics facilities.

Meanwhile, the IAF’s crew was trained on the Apache AH-64 E and Chinook CH 47F (I) helicopters. India signed a $ 3 billion deal to buy 22 Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters in September 2015 with the Boeing and the government of the United States. The Indian government signed a direct contract with the Boeing to procure Chinook helicopters, while the deal to buy Apache helicopters is a mixed one. A part of the deal was signed with the US aviation company, and the other half is signed with the US government under foreign military sales route.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 02, 2019 04:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).