THE HAGUE – The Department of Defense plans to sell six obsolete Chinook transport helicopters to Billings Flying Services from Montana, USA. This family business specializes in aerial firefighting. State Secretary Christoph van der Maat wrote to the council on Thursday (March 7).
As twenty new CH-47F MYII CAAS Chinooks are phased in, the Ministry of Defense is rejecting the CH-47D aircraft. They are housed in the Defense Helicopter Command.
It is not only about the sale of helicopters, but also about the sale of spare parts and flight test equipment. The Intermediate Defense Material Marketing Committee (CVDM) has already approved the sale of six Chinooks in December 2022. The aim is to sign the Ministry of Finance’s Domainen Rorende Jagan agreement with Billings Flying Service in March. Delivery at a time to be determined later.
Billings Flying Service is not the only civilian provider flying the obsolete Chinooks. Columbia Helicopters also offers older CH-47s for transport and firefighting missions.
Source: Ministry of Defence.
