The US Army has taken delivery of the first multi-year II configured CH-47F Chinook medium-to-heavy lift helicopter from Boeing at the production facility in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, US, one month ahead of schedule.
The delivery forms part of a $4bn multi-year contract that was awarded to Boeing in June 2013. This covers the supply of 155 CH-47Fs and options for an additional 60 aircraft, with deliveries expected to continue through to 2019.
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Accepting the aircraft for the US Army, Cargo Helicopter Office project manager colonel Rob Barrie said: "This delivery is an example of teamwork and commitment to the troops in the field."
Cargo Helicopters vice-president and H-47 programme manager Steve Parker said: "Experienced teams worked together to deliver the advanced, multi-mission capability of this aircraft to meet the army’s needs today and well into the future."
An upgraded version of D-model, the CH-47F Chinook features enhanced engines and improved avionics, including the Rockwell Collins common avionics architecture system (CAAS) cockpit and BAE Systems’ digital advanced-flight control system (DAFCS), as well as an upgraded airframe.
The multi-year II configuration also incorporates the new cargo-on-off-loading system for rapid reconfiguration of the floor to easily carry out cargo missions.
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By GlobalDataA Cargo-platform health environment system has also been installed to provide real-time health monitoring to reduce maintenance actions and the overall lifecycle cost of the product.
The heavy-lift high-altitude helicopter is extensively used by the US Army for air assault, transport, and medical evacuation and support missions in Afghanistan. It also serves as a backbone of combat, logistics and humanitarian operations for 18 other operators worldwide.
The multi-year II configuration helicopter has been ordered by international customers, including Australia, Turkey and the UAE.
Image: The first multi-year II configured CH-47F Chinook helicopter at Boeing’s production facility in Pennsylvania, US. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.
