The State Department approved a possible military sale with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) worth $1.32 billion for six CH-47F Block II Extended Range Chinook heavy-lift helicopters and related equipment.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) on Monday.
Under this deal, UAE is seeking six
Boeing [BA] CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters with an air-to-air refuel probe capability and extended range fuel tanks alongside six Honeywell [HON] T-55-GA-714A engines; associated navigation systems, AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS); 20 AN/ARC-231A communications security radios; and 20 M-240 machine guns.
Other non-major defense equipment covered by the FMS includes CMWS classified software, AN/APR-39A radar warning receivers; AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets (LDS); AN/ARC-220 high frequency (HF) radios; and other navigation, communications and radar systems plus various helicopter systems, support equipment and logistics support.
DSCA said the UAE would use these helicopters to extend the range of its flight operations for search and rescue, disaster relief, humanitarian support, and counterterrorism operations.
The Block II version of the Chinook has upgrades with an improved drivetrain, increased range, redesigned fuel system and capability to lift 4,000 more pounds.,
The DoD agency also said this sale supports U.S. foreign policy by helping improve the security of an “important regional partner.”
Boeing delivered the first Block II Chinook to the U.S. Army last year (Defense Daily, July 1, 2024).
So far, three CH-47F Block IIs have been delivered to the Army and the Milestone C decision to move it into full-rate production is expected this year.
If this latest deal goes through, UAE would be the fifth customer to field the CH-47F Block II, joining the U.S. Army, Germany, U.K, and most recently Japan.
In February. Boeing announced Japan signed a deal to acquire 17 CH-47F Block II Chinooks, to be co-produced with Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) as prime contractor there (Defense Daily, Feb. 13, 2025).
In September, Boeing said it wants to offer the Chinook Block II to Poland as well (Defense Daily, Sept. 5, 2024).
However, on Monday Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced he plans to “block any arms sale to a nation that is doing direct personnel business with Trump. We should have a full Senate debate and vote.”
He cited UAE’s investment in Trump crypto venture and Qatar’s plan to gift a Boeing 747-8 jet plane to Trump as “nuclear grade graft. An unacceptable corruption of our foreign policy.”
Normally, arms sales go forward without a vote. But any Senator can object and force a full debate and Senate vote. I will do that for any military deal with a nation that is paying off Trump personally. We can’t act like this is normal foreign policy.
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) May 12, 2025
Arms sales usually sail through the Senate without needing a vote, but Murphy noted any single senator can object and force a full debate and vote. He reiterated he plans to do that for any military sale deal when he believes the country is personally paying off Trump.
The crypto reference is connected to how Trump backs the World Liberty Financial crypto exchange with his sons, Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump. Earlier this month MGX, a Abu Dhabi, UAE-based firm, said it is using a World Liberty USD1 cryptocurrency to close a planned $2 billion investment into Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. In March, World Liberty said it was launching the USD1 as a dollar-pegged stablecoin to be backed by U.S. Treasuries, dollars and other equivalents.
Separately, the State Department also approved a $130 million potential FMS with UAE for F-16 sustainment and related equipment.
The UAE is seeking additional F-16 components spares, accessories and other elements of logistics and program support.
DSCA said this sale will be added to a previously implemented case that was valued at $40.9 million and none in major defense equipment, below the congressional notification threshold.
DoD said that original F-16 sustainment sale covered Common Munitions Built-in-Test Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE); munitions support equipment; night vision device (NVD) support and spare equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories; repair and return support; classified and unclassified software; and other technical and logistics support services.
The F-16 notice also said while the description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and value based on requirements, the actual final dollar value will be lower, depending on final requirements, budget authority, and final signed sales agreements.