Two contracts, one by the U.S. Army to modernize the Chinook helicopter fleet, and another by the German government for 60 new Block II Chinooks, likely means a hiring surge at the Ridley Park Boeing plant, writes Ryan Mulligan for Philadelphia Business Journal.

The first upgraded CH-47F Block II Chinook was delivered at the plant Monday.

The contracts guarantee two decades of production at Ridey Park.

The facility currently employs about 4,000 people. In addition to the U.S. Army contract, an $8.5 billion contract with the German government for the 60 Block II Chinooks could “significantly add” to that employee count.

The agreement with Germany ups the production rate from 18 Chinooks per year to 25 per year.

Heather McBryan, Boeing Vertical Lift’s H-47 vice president and program manager, declined to say how many more workers were needed for the additional aircraft but said the German contract makes for a “pretty significant increase in our rate.”

Boeing is working with the UAW Local 1069 to make sure the extra workers are available.

McBryan said the Block II Chinook will be “the most advanced heavy-lift aircraft in the world for decades to come.”

Read more about the additional hiring needs at the Ridley Park Boeing plant in the Philadelphia Business Journal.