Boeing will build and test three helicopters Chinook of the US Army CH-47F Block II as part of a modernization plan that will potentially lead to another two decades of work for the Philadelphia manufacturing facility.
The helicopters will be funded by a recent 276 million dollar arms contract.
Colonel Greg Fortier, project manager for US Army cargo helicopters, stressed the importance of the program as "the US Army's only heavy transport helicopter exists to supply ground commanders with decisive power for combat" .
An improved transmission will bring more power from the engines to the new advanced rotor blades, designed to lift more than 700 additional payloads.
The current configuration with six fuel tanks (three on each side) will become a two, allowing aircraft to carry more fuel and better distribute weight. The structure of the fuselage will be reinforced in critical areas to allow aircraft to carry additional loads.
Boeing will start building i Block II test next year. The tests will start in the 2019 and the first delivery of the aircraft Chinook is expected in 2023.
The US Army could upgrade over 500 CH-47F to the configuration Block II.
(source / photo: Boeing)
