GEORGETOWN - The Guyana Defense Force is prepraring to receive two Bell rotocraft amidst the ongoing expansion and reinforcement of the service's capabilities in the wake of Venezuela advancing renewed territorial claims on the Essequibo region. The rotorcraft in question, currently in transit, consist of a Bell 407GXi and Bell 429 model.

Source: Scramble.nl
Associated URL: https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/bell-helicopters-on-their-way-to-guyana

MESA, Ariz. - Boeing has secured a nearly $4.7 billion U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to produce AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for international customers, including 96 aircraft for Poland, the largest Apache order ever placed by a non-U.S. operator.

Deliveries to Poland will begin in 2028, and the country is already preparing by training pilots and maintainers while leasing eight Apaches from the U.S. Army. Boeing and Poland’s Ministry of National Defence have an offset agreement that will expand local industrial participation, including maintenance work, training programs, and the creation of a composite laboratory to support long-term sustainment.

The contract comes as Boeing marks 50 years since the Apache’s first flight and continues global deliveries of the advanced E-model variant, now operated by 19 countries. More than 1,300 Apaches are in service worldwide, supported by Boeing Global Services.

Source: Boeing
Associated URL: https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2025-11-26-Boeing-to-Build-96-AH-64E-Apache-Helicopters-for-Poland
Author: Boeing 

SANDY HOOK, Conn. - Contract awards are continuing to pile up for Boeing and the U.S. Army’s CH-47 Block II Chinook program, proving the service’s commitment to the modernized variant. In late September, the Army announced plans to "rapidly field" the Block II for two Combat Aviation Brigades (CABs) using a combination of FY25, FY26, and previously approved funding. Estimates suggest the effort will procure some two dozen examples to outfit the CABs.

While the U.S. government shutdown stalled Defense Department award announcements over the past several weeks, the reopening has revealed several related program developments during that timeframe. On October 21, Boeing reported a $461 million award for Lot 4 and 5 production for nine CH-47F Block IIs.

The following week, Boeing received a $876.4 million contract for up to 60 Block II Chinooks for Germany with allocations from the country’s FY26 case funds. Finally, on November 20, the U.S. Special Operations Command awarded Boeing a $271.7 million contract to build five MH-47G helicopters.

With over $1.6 billion in agreements since October, Boeing’s H-47 production facility near Philadelphia has earned a significant boost to an already growing order book. Chinook manufacturing could expand well into the mid-2030s to support both domestic and international customers, with additional interest on the horizon.

Building on the capabilities of its Block I predecessor, the Block II features a modernized drivetrain, upgraded rotor system, a redesigned fuel system, and a common avionics architecture system (CAAS) that allows broader plug-in options for future upgrades.

Army operators remain highly optimistic about the Block II’s potential, stating that the new variant, which adds 4,000 pounds of maximum gross weight lift, can perform some Block I missions in half the number of sorties.

The CH-47F Block II is also poised to push the proven Chinook platform into the cutting-edge capabilities of the next generation of rotorcraft. Work is underway to integrate air-launched effects, other uncrewed systems, and artificial intelligence with flight control systems to reduce pilot workload.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/2025/11/25/boeing-wins-big-in-recent-chinook-push/
Author: Jon Hemler