German lawmakers will sign off early next month on government plans to buy 60 Boeing Co. Chinook helicopters and three maritime surveillance vessels for a combined value of more than €11 billion ($11.9 billion), according to people familiar with the planning.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling alliance has asked for approval to spend €6.9 billion on the 60 CH-47F helicopters, together with an additional €750 million for infrastructure and maintenance, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.
Due to cost over-runs, it has also requested permission to increase the funds allocated for the three ships — manufactured by Bremen-based NVL B.V. & Co. KG — to about €3.45 billion, from an original amount of €2.1 billion, the people added. Lawmakers on the lower house of parliament’s budget committee will approve the spending plans at a session on July 5 in Berlin, they said.
The big-ticket procurements are part of the ruling coalition’s effort to expand and modernize the armed forces triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
They will be financed from a special €100 billion fund established last year to boost military spending, on top of the regular annual defense budget of about €50 billion.
A Boeing spokesman said the company is looking forward to working with the US and German governments to finalize the helicopter sale.
A spokesman for NVL declined to comment on the cost of the ships and referred to a press release the company published in June 2021 when it first received the order.
--With assistance from Alexander Pearson.
