Lockheed Martin will team up with German Rheinmetall company for Germany's heavy-lift helicopter tender.  

Under a contract valued at around $4,9 billion, Germany plans to acquire 45-60 heavy-lift helicopters. Lockheed is offering its CH-53K helicopter while the other competitor of the tender, Boeing Co, will offer its smaller twin-rotor CH-47. The German Defence Ministry expects to issue a request for information in the second half of 2018, with a contract expected to be awarded in mid-2020 and deliveries to begin in 2023, replacing Germany’s existing fleet of CH-53G aircraft.

 In a statement to Reuters, Lockheed said it said it would name other German partners in coming weeks.