The United States Defense Security Cooperative Agency (DSCA) has approved a possible Foreign Military (FM) Sale to the Government of Egypt of CH-47F Chinook Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.6 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on May 26, with the export now awaiting to be confirmed by the US Congress.
The Egyptian Government requested to buy twenty-three (23) CH-47F Chinook helicopters; fifty-six (56) T-55-GA-714A engines (46 installed, 10 spares); fifty-two (52) Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) (EGI) (46 installed, 6 spares); twenty-nine (29) AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) (23 installed, 6 spares); and seventy-five (75) M-240 machine guns (69 installed, 6 spares).
Also included is Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) classified software; AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR); AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets (LDS); High Frequency (HF) radios and several other hardware including Bambi fire buckets for firefighting.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.
“The proposed sale will improve Egypt’s heavy-lift capability. Egypt will use this enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats,” it added.
The Egyptian Air Force already operates the CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Currently, 19 aircraft, namely 16 CH-47D and 3 CH-47C, the first of which is received in 1999, are flown by the 18th and 33rd squadrons, both based in Kom Awshim Air Base, southwest of Cairo.
