India Inducts First Boeing Chinook Helicopter To Its Fleet

India has inducted its first Boeing CH-47 Chinook Helicopter to its air force fleet on Friday.

The helicopter was handed over to the country during the ‘India-Chinook Transfer Ceremony’ held in Philadelphia, WION reported.

The country had placed an order for 15 Chinook and 22 Apache choppers for $2.5 billion in 2018. It will receive all of the aircraft on order in this year. Boeing is also training an Indian Air Force (IAF) crew for the helicopter.

The contract also includes an additional option to buy seven Chinook and 11 Apache helicopters; engines from General Electric Co. and Hellfire missiles from Lockheed Martin.

Large sections of the CH-47F Chinook fuselage are presently being manufactured in India.

The CH-47F aircraft is a twin-engine, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter. It can fly at speeds of nearly 175 mph and carry payloads greater than 21,000 lbs.