Germany to buy 60 Chinook helicopters - defence minister

Germany will purchase 60 Chinook heavy lift helicopters from Boeing to replace its ageing fleet of CH-53, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Wednesday, dealing a setback to Boeing's rival Lockheed Martin , which was also in the race for the order. "With this model we are strengthening our ability to cooperate in Europe," added Lambrecht during a speech to the Bundestag lower house of parliament.

Germany will purchase 60 Chinook heavy lift helicopters from Boeing to replace its ageing fleet of CH-53, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Wednesday, dealing a setback to Boeing's rival Lockheed Martin , which was also in the race for the order.

"With this model we are strengthening our ability to cooperate in Europe," added Lambrecht during a speech to the Bundestag lower house of parliament. According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.

Boeing, with its trademark tandem rotor Chinook, and Lockheed's Sikorsky, with its CH-53K, are the only Western companies offering this type of military helicopter. The German military has been flying the CH-53 since the 1970s and aims to phase it out by 2030.

The Bundeswehr relied heavily on the old CH-53 for its military mission in Afghanistan, but the operation also revealed the shortcomings of the ageing helicopter, with much maintenance work needed to keep it in the air. ($1 = 0.9323 euros)