The French air force has finally confirmed a long-rumoured interest in acquiring heavy-lift helicopters for special forces missions and is studying different options, including leasing a pair of Boeing CH-47F Chinooks as a trial before making any purchase.
Speaking at Defence IQ’s International Military Helicopter 2020 conference in London on 25 February, Colonel Bruno Paupy, deputy chief, plans division of the French air force, said that the Chinooks would be required to plug a “capability gap”.
Paupy says the helicopters would initially be leased, with any acquisition coming in the post-2025 period. As a Chinook purchase was not funded in France’s most recent military procurement plan, the lease model would enable the air force to skirt that potential restriction.
That timeline would also lead Paris towards the acquisition of the upgraded Block II version of the Chinook, which at present is only confirmed for the long-range MH-47G variant – a model that would also suit the air force’s intended mission.
“We want the helicopter capable of performing missions in enemy territory – so you may guess which version we want,” says Paupy.
