Delivery of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift tactical transport helicopters to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has recently commenced.
The Singaporean air arm announced on May 26 that the first of these helicopters were being delivered to the RSAF Helicopter Detachment at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre in Queensland, Australia. The number of Chinooks involved in the initial delivery was not revealed by the service.
![First Singaporean CH-47F [RSAF]](https://fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/inline-images/RSAF%20CH-47F%20N271GG%20RSAF.jpg)
The RSAF already maintains a fleet of 16 Chinooks, comprising ten CH-47SDs and six CH-47Ds – all of which are assigned to 127 Squadron at Sembawang Air Base in northern Singapore. Five of the CH-47Ds are currently allocated to the Helicopter Detachment at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre.
A contract for 16 new-build CH-47Fs was signed in November 2016 and these helicopters will progressively replace the older models, which have been in operational service since 1994. It is planned to base ten of the new CH-47Fs at Oakey for training purposes, while the remaining six aircraft will be operated from Sembawang. These new Chinooks are allocated serials 88160 to 88175 (c/ns M-2071 to M-2086) and hold US test registrations N271GG through to N286GG, respectively.
