Boeing receives $18.2M deal for MH-47G Chinook parts for Special Ops

Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Boeing has received an $18.2 million contract to procure parts of the MH-47G Chinook helicopter for U.S. Special Operations Forces, the Department of Defense announced.

According to the Pentagon, the order "is required to satisfy an urgent need to sustain U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft and to mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands."

In the past year, Special Operations Forces has issued three contracts for Chinook aircraft that include text about urgent mission load: a $39 million deal for finalization of four new-build MH-47G Chinook helicopters in February 2019; a $30.7 million delivery order issued in June for Chinook component; and a $194.2 million deal for seven new Chinooks, also awarded in June.

That contract was also described as meeting an urgent need for Special Operations Force Chinook helicopters, of which the Army had 69 at the time.

The majority of work on the new deal will be performed in Ridley Park, Pa.

The total amount of funds obligated in the contract will be immediately available to Boeing, and contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year.