Chinook helicopters ordered by U.S. Army in latest modernization effort
NewsDecember 05, 2024
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania. Boeing won a $135 million contract from the U.S. Army to deliver three additional CH-47F Block II Chinooks, the company announced in a statement.
This Lot 3 order is part of the Army's broader plan to modernize its heavy-lift helicopter fleet and move toward full-rate production of the CH-47F Block II program, the statement reads. Boeing is currently contracted for nine Block II Chinooks out of a potential 465 aircraft in the Army’s current fleet.
The CH-47F Block II features drivetrain and airframe enhancements that add 4,000 pounds to the aircraft’s maximum gross weight and significantly improve its lift capacity, Boeing says. Updates to the fuel system also extend the aircraft's mission radius for nearly all payloads, according to the company.
Boeing delivered the first two Block II aircraft earlier this year, and funding for three additional helicopters has already been secured by Congress for the next production lot, the company says. The Block II configuration is designed to sustain the Army’s heavy-lift capabilities for at least four more decades, the statement adds.
