Egypt receives first new CH-47F Chinook helicopter

The first of 12 new CH-47F Chinook helicopters for the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) was formally presented at the El Alamein Airshow, held from 8-10 September 2026. (US Embassy in Cairo)

Egypt has begun the process of replacing its fleet of Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopters with the latest CH-47F variant.

The US Embassy in Cairo announced on 17 September 2026 that the first of 12 new CH-47F helicopters was formally handed over to the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) at the El Alamein Airshow, held from 8-10 September 2026.

“Congratulations to Boeing, the US Army, and the Egyptian Ministry of Defence on the delivery of the new CH-47F Chinook helicopter, a tangible example of the growing commercial and defence partnership between the United States and Egypt,” the embassy said.

News of the commencement of deliveries came some 45 months after Boeing announced in January 2023 that it had been awarded a USD426 million in a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal for 12 CH-47Fs for Egypt. The original US government approval for the Chinook sale to Egypt issued in May 2022 covered 19 helicopters in a one-for-one replacement for the CH-47D fleet, suggesting a follow-on award is likely.

The EAF received its first CH-47D in 1999. These are operated by 18 Squadron of the Kom Awshim Tactical Helicopter Regiment at Kom Awshim, approximately 50 km south of Cairo.