Germany to buy dozens of US military helicopters

Germany will buy 60 Chinook helicopters from Boeing (BA.N) in a package that will cost up to 8 billion euros ($8.7 billion), including necessary infrastructure for the aircraft, two members of the parliamentary budget committee said, Report informs referring to Reuters.

They said the committee had taken the decision to go ahead.

The sum includes the procurement of the CH-47 heavy-lift helicopters for 6.27 billion euros, 700 million euros for service, 240 million euros for national contracts and 750 million euros for infrastructure, according to earlier information.

Germany said it planned to buy 60 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing last year to replace its ageing CH-53 fleet. Originally, 6 billion euros had been budgeted.

Forty-seven of the helicopters will be based in the town of Holzdorf, some 50 kms (31 miles) south of Berlin, a military source said, adding that the first of several Arrow-3 missile defense units Germany aims to purchase will also be deployed there.