MOROCCO TO RECEIVE THREE EX-U.S. CHINOOKS
NEWTOWN, Conn. - In coming months the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) will take delivery of three ex-US Army CH-47D Chinook transport helicopters, which are currently being refurbished prior to delivery. The aircraft are being worked on by Columbia Helicopters at its new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Aurora State Airport in Oregon.
Refurbishment work is being carried out under a $6 million contract and involves a complete interior and exterior refurbishment and airframe and engine overhaul, according to Columbia Helicopters.
Originally, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the U.S. Congress in October 2009 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Morocco of three CH-47D Chinook helicopters, for an estimated cost of $134 million. The deal included six (two per helicopter) T55-GA-714A turbine engines and two spares, four ARC-201E SINCGARS, mission equipment, communication and navigation equipment, ground support equipment, spare and repair parts, special tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, site survey work, U.S. government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and related elements of logistics support.
However, it appears Morocco has gone the second hand route. The U.S. Army has retired large numbers of CH-47Ds, with an estimated 40 on the surplus market, according to Paul Leach, Columbia Helicopters' Director, Military Maintenance.
The helicopters will improve Morocco's ability to conduct humanitarian missions.
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