Washington [US], May 12: The Pentagon announced on May 11 that the US State Department has approved the sale of CH-47F Chinook heavy transport helicopters and related equipment to Germany for up to $ 8.5 billion.The potential sale between the US and Germany includes 140 engines, missile warning systems, navigation systems and other equipment, according to a statement from the Pentagon."The proposed sale will improve Germany's heavy transport capabilities. Germany intends to use this transport capacity to strengthen its domestic defenses and deter threats in the region," the agency said. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.The sale will "support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally, an important force for political and economic stability," the statement said. in Europe," according to AFP.The DSCA has informed the US Congress of the potential sale of the aforementioned helicopters to Germany. While the sale was approved by the State Department, the Pentagon statement did not say whether the contract had been signed or whether negotiations had ended.Last year, Germany announced its intention to buy 60 Chinook helicopters from Boeing to replace the "aging" CH-53 fleet. Boeing said it would take three years to deliver the helicopters to Germany.Earlier, Reuters on May 10 quoted two German lawmakers as saying that the country would buy 50 more Puma infantry fighting vehicles worth a total of 1.5 billion euros ($1.65 billion) for the country's armed forces. Bundeswehr. Puma, built by KMW and Rheinmetall, is gradually replacing the aging German Marder infantry fighting vehicle.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz changed defense policy in February 2022 after Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, sharply increasing defense spending and committing 100 billion euros to the Bundeswehr, according to Reuters.Source: ThanhNien Newspaper
