The army is to take delivery of nine "Super D" Chinook CH-47SD Boeing transport helicopters in May, according to defense sources. They were ordered from the US in 1999.
The CH-47SD, the newest variant of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, is expected to greatly enhance the army's airborne transport capabilities.
The army ordered a total of nine CH-47SDs from the US in 1999 to replace the B-234, a commercial version of the Chinook, which was retired last year.
Despite similarities with its military counterpart, the military's three B-234s had been much ridiculed for their inability to lift heavy items -- such as cannons. The B-234s went into service in 1985.
Due to their relative failure to perform, the B-234s were used mainly to carry military leaders to inspect sites around the country.
Since the B-234 was unable to undertake combat missions, the army decided three years ago to buy the militarily version of the Chinooks.
After delivery, the nine CH-47SDs are scheduled to be deployed with the army's three airborne transport groups.
The CH-47SDs are expected to greatly enhance the army's airborne transport capabilities, hampered by a lack of sufficient lift capacity -- or in layman's terms -- helicopters.
The army now has only one type of transport helicopter still in service -- its Vietnam-era fleet of Bell UH-1H Iroquois.
The number of operational UH-1Hs is estimated to be between 50 and 60.
The UH-1Hs, though still in use, are largely grounded for safety reasons, an army official said. "They can still fly. But not many soldiers dare to get in them," he said.
The official declined, however, to explain what has caused the soldiers to be afraid of flying on UH-1Hs.
"Although the UH-1Hs are in rather poor condition, we still managed to pick out the best among them and give them to a diplomatic ally in Latin America last year," the official said.
With the B-234s having been retired and the UH-1Hs grounded for the most part, the army does not have the ability to deliver its troops from the air, an irony for an army with two active and one reserve airborne brigade.
The army has been planning to replace the UH-1H for several years.
The slow process in doing so is attributed to fierce competition between two foreign helicopters manufacturers and extreme caution on the part of the nation's military to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
The contract is to provide approximately 100 of the new helicopters, defense sources said.
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