Announced 23 April, Australia will be buying 7 CH-47F in a
US$560m deal (US$80m each). The CH-47Fs will be armed with 1x M134D
mini guns and will have force XXI battle command brigade and below
blue force trackers. The deal also includes 16 SINCGARs radios.
The Australian army currently operates 6 CH-47Ds which
were upgraded and fitted with a complete suite of defensive
systems. These were acquired as part of a trade-in of older
CH-47Bs. 12 CH-47Bs were first acquired in 1969 and were traded in
1989 on cost grounds.