Completes Dutch Chinook Fleet Update
Boeing has delivered the 20th CH-47F Chinook to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), completing the country’s latest fleet update, the company announced on 14 November. “Our continuing partnership with the Royal Netherlands Air Force exemplifies the value of a modern and versatile Chinook fleet […] These state-of-the art aircraft will significantly improve their defense and humanitarian assistance capabilities,” commented Ken Eland, VP and H-47 Program Manager.
The Netherlands is one of eight NATO countries to operate the Chinook, and has fielded the aircraft continuously since 1995. In 2016, the RNLAF purchased14 new CH-47F through the US Foreign Military Sales programme and signed an agreement the following year to upgrade their remaining six D-model Chinooks to the latest F-model configuration, ensuring commonality of systems for the entire fleet. “This is a milestone for us. We have newer radios and newer equipment, which help our pilots operate better in different environments than we do already,” said Lt Col Wil van Rijn, senior system integrator for the Chinook at the Dutch MoD.
