India has received the first batch of Chinook transport helicopter from USA. Four heavy-lift Chinook helicopters meant for Indian Air Force arrived at the Mundra port in Gujarat, Trend reported citing OpIndia.
The helicopters are part of a $3.1 billion deal for purchase of 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from American aviation giant Boeing. In December 2015, the government of India had signed the contract with Boeing and a Letter of Agreement with the USA government for purchase of the helicopters.
On February 1, the first Chinook helicopter was officially delivered to India by Boeing in the presence of Indian ambassador to US Harsh Shringla at the ‘India-Chinook Transfer Ceremony’ held at Boeing facility in Philadelphia, US.
The Chinook helicopter is a multi-mission, heavy-lift transport helicopter used to move troops, artillery, ammunition, barrier materials, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. This helicopter can be used in non-combat situations also, like medical evacuation, disaster relief, search and rescue, aircraft recovery, firefighting, and civil development.
Last year, the Chinook and Apache helicopters built for India had completed their inaugural flights in the USA. Pilots and engineers of Indian Air Force have also undergone training to operate the Chinook helicopter in Delaware, USA.
The delivery of Apache attack helicopters will commence in July this year, and delivery of both the helicopters will be completed by March 2020.
The complete fuselage of the Apache helicopter has been made by Tata Boeing Aerospace in Hyderabad in India. While another Indian company Dynamatic Technologies is manufacturing several critical components for the Chinook helicopter.