The UK Ministry of Defence has signed an £879 million ($1.2 billion) contract with Boeing Defence UK to support its fleet of Apache attack helicopters and Chinook transport aircraft. The three-year deal, awarded under the Rotary Wing Enterprise framework, provides comprehensive in-service support for the British Army’s AH-64E Apaches and the Royal Air Force’s Chinook HC helicopters.
Both platforms are key to UK operations, combining offensive strike capabilities with heavy-lift transport support. Boeing Defence UK will deliver integrated services including maintenance, logistics, engineering support, and training for operational and technical personnel. By unifying support for both fleets under one framework, the Ministry of Defence aims to streamline operations and boost readiness.
The contract will maintain more than 700 jobs within Boeing Defence UK and support an additional 500 roles across the wider supply chain, including approximately 300 positions at StandardAero. It also includes plans to expand apprenticeship programs, creating up to 50 new opportunities over the next three years. Officials emphasized that the investment strengthens both military capability and the UK’s defense industrial base.
This agreement aligns with a wider modernization push for the UK’s rotary-wing fleet. A forthcoming £1 billion contract is expected to be awarded to Leonardo for 23 new medium-lift helicopters, supporting production in Yeovil. Recent milestones also include the maiden UK flight of the autonomous Proteus helicopter and Royal Navy “Eagle’s Eye” trials, where helicopters operated as airborne command hubs to coordinate drone operations via a multi-node communications network.
