
Japan has a signed deal to acquire 17 of Boeing’s [BA] CH-47 Block II Chinooks Extended Range heavy-lift helicopters, the company announced Thursday. A Boeing spokesperson confirmed to Defense Daily the Direct Commercial Sale has been approved by the U.S. State Department and the aircraft will be co-produced with Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) as the prime contractor. “This award strengthens our decades-long relationship with KHI and provides critical capability improvements that will keep the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) operating…