Boeing has signed a $115-million contract to manufacture two additional MH-74G Block II Chinook heavy-lift helicopters for the US Army.
The MH-47G incorporates an improved airframe, a glass cockpit, digital avionics, redesigned fuel tanks, and expanded payload compatibility to address evolving flight operations.
It is being procured as part of the Department of Defense’s initiative to boost the airborne capabilities of Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC).
The first MH-47G was delivered to the service in 2014. Additional orders were then made in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Boeing wrote that the latest deal brings the army’s future MH-47G Block II fleet to 46 aircraft.
“Whether it’s operating in the dead of night or in difficult terrain, the MH-47G Block II is a proven workhorse for special operations,” Boeing Cargo Programs VP and Program Manager Heather McBryan stated.
“It is our privilege to support ongoing USASOAC modernization efforts that will continue to have a real-world impact on US national security.”
Since the USASOAC Chinook program’s induction, the Pentagon and Boeing have supported over 20,000 roles and 360 supply chain partners across 40 US states.
Boeing’s Chinook
The Chinook measures 98 feet (30 meters) long and has a rotor diameter of 60 feet (18.2 meters).
It has a fuel capacity of 4,088 liters (1,080 gallons) and is powered by twin Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines with 4,777 horsepower each.
The aircraft has a mission radius of up to 165 nautical miles (190 miles/306 kilometers) a speed of 170 knots (302 kilometers/188 miles per hour), and an operational altitude of 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).
The Chinook has a maximum gross weight of 54,000 pounds (24,494 kilograms) and a payload lift capacity of up to 27,000 pounds (12,565 kilograms).
Depending on its variant, the helicopter can be equipped with mounted machine guns, rotary miniguns, and missile systems.
