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A CH-47 Chinook helicopter drops off troops, vehicles and additional supplies at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. (USAF/Senior Airman Steven R. Doty)
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The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol (later known as Boeing Rotorcraft Systems).
The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Chinook, is from the Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state.
The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Chinook, is from the Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state.
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Two CH-47 Chinook helicopter's land at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. (USAF /Senior Airman Steven R. Doty)
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The Chinook possesses several means of loading various cargoes, including multiple doors across the fuselage, a wide loading ramp located at the rear of the fuselage and a total of three external ventral cargo hooks to carry underslung loads.
Capable of a top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h), upon its introduction to service in 1962, the helicopter was considerably faster than contemporary 1960s utility helicopters and attack helicopters, and is still one of the fastest helicopters in the US inventory.
Capable of a top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h), upon its introduction to service in 1962, the helicopter was considerably faster than contemporary 1960s utility helicopters and attack helicopters, and is still one of the fastest helicopters in the US inventory.
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Airmen from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron jump out the back of a MH-47 Chinook Helicopter April 9, 2013, at Wynnehaven Beach, Fla. (USAF/Airman 1st Class Christopher Callaway)
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Chinook has a triple-hook system, which provides stability to large external loads or the capacity for multiple external loads. Large external loads such as 155 mm howitzers can be transported at speeds up to 260 km/h using the triple-hook load configuration.
Multiple external loads can be delivered to three separate destinations in one sortie. The central hook is rated to carry up to 12,000 kg and the other two hooks 7,500 kg each. Cargo handling systems are provided by AAR Corp, Cargo Systems of Goldsboro, based North Carolina, US.
Multiple external loads can be delivered to three separate destinations in one sortie. The central hook is rated to carry up to 12,000 kg and the other two hooks 7,500 kg each. Cargo handling systems are provided by AAR Corp, Cargo Systems of Goldsboro, based North Carolina, US.
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An Airman jumps out of an MH-47 Chinook helicopter during helocast alternate insertion and extraction training with Soldiers from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment July 14, 2014, at American Lake on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. (USAF /Staff Sgt. Russ Jackson)
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The cabin provides 42 m³ of cargo space and 21 m² of cargo floor area and can accommodate two high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) or an HMMWV together with 105 mm howitzer and gun crew.
The main cabin can hold from 33 to 50 fully equipped troops, depending on the seating arrangements and equipment being carried. For medical evaluation, the cabin can accommodate 24 litters (stretchers). Ramp operations can be carried out on the water using an optional power-down ramp and water dam configuration.
The main cabin can hold from 33 to 50 fully equipped troops, depending on the seating arrangements and equipment being carried. For medical evaluation, the cabin can accommodate 24 litters (stretchers). Ramp operations can be carried out on the water using an optional power-down ramp and water dam configuration.
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Airmen from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron and members of the Army National Guard's 49th Police Brigade practice loading and sling loading vehicles on a CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter Oct. 14, 2015, at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. (USAF/T.C. Perkins Jr.)
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The helicopter is armed with three guns, including two at the crew door on the starboard side and one window-mounted on the port side.
In May 2008, Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract to equip the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s (RNLAF) CH-47Fs with the AAR-54 missile warning system. The systems were equipped in January 2010.
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An 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron Airman observes a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan. (USAF)
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The Chinook cockpit accommodates two pilots and an observer. The communications suite includes jam resistant HF and UHF radio systems and the helicopter is equipped with an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator.
The helicopter is equipped with a suite of countermeasure systems, which could include one or more of the following: a missile approach warner, jammers, radar warner, and chaff and flare dispensers.
The helicopter is equipped with a suite of countermeasure systems, which could include one or more of the following: a missile approach warner, jammers, radar warner, and chaff and flare dispensers.
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Air Force pararescuemen exit an Army CH-47 Chinook at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 22, 2018. (USAF/Tech. Sgt. Gregory Brook)
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The all-weather, medium-lift CH-47A Chinook was powered initially by Lycoming T55-L-5 engines rated at 2,200 horsepower (1,640 kW), but then replaced by the T55-L-7 rated at 2,650 hp (1,980 kW) engines or T55-L-7C engines rated at 2,850 hp (2,130 kW).
The CH-47A had a maximum gross weight of 33,000 lb (15,000 kg), allowing for a maximum payload around 10,000 lb (4,500 kg).
The CH-47A had a maximum gross weight of 33,000 lb (15,000 kg), allowing for a maximum payload around 10,000 lb (4,500 kg).
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CH-47 Chinook. (Cory W. Watts/Wiki Common)
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The special forces variant of the Chinook, MH-47E, is fitted with the ATK AN/AAR-47 missile approach warner, Northrop Grumman ALQ-162 Shadowbox jammer, ITT ALQ-136(V) pulse jammer, Raytheon APR-39A radar warner and BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions (formerly Tracor) M-130 chaff and flare dispenser.
The helicopter is equipped with a Rockwell Collins CP1516-ASQ target hand-off system. Australian Chinooks were fitted with EADS AN/AAR-60 MILDS missile warning system.
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A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter takes off after dropping supplies at Forward Operating Base Baylough in the Zabul Province of Afghanistan June 7, 2010. (US Army/Staff Sgt. William Tremblay)
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MH-47E is equipped with an advanced radar system, the Raytheon AN/APQ-174A, for terrain-following flight, air-to-ground ranging and ground mapping. A Raytheon AN/AAQ-16 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) is installed in the nose of the helicopter and the cockpit is fitted with a moving map display.
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U.S. Army 1st Lt. Blake Halbert, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot prepares a CH-47 for takeoff at Camp Atterbury in Indiana Aug. 13, 2013. (TSgt Henry Hoegen)
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The military version of the helicopter has been exported to nations across the world; the U.S. Army and the Royal Air Force (see Boeing Chinook (UK variants)) have been its two largest users. The civilian version of the Chinook is the Boeing Vertol 234. It has been used by civil operators not only for passenger and cargo transport, but also for aerial firefighting and to support logging, construction, and oil extraction industries.
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Royal Air Force CH-47 Chinook flying with two USMC CH-53 Sea Stallions during a twilight training sortie in Arizona. 13 October 2018. (Cpl Tim Laurence)
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There are more than 1,200 operational Chinooks in the world and 163 CH-47Ds took part in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Boeing delivered over 480 CH-47D Chinooks to the US Army and National Guard. The US Army Chinooks are currently undergoing digital improvements to keep the aircraft operational for the next 20 years.
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A Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter firing flares over Afghanistan. 25 March 2015. (Cpl Lee Goddard)
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Improved and more powerful versions of the CH-47 have been developed since the helicopter entered service. The U.S. Army's first major design leap was the now-common CH-47D, which entered service in 1982. Improvements from the CH-47C included upgraded engines, composite rotor blades, a redesigned cockpit to reduce pilot workload, improved and redundant electrical systems, an advanced flight control system, and improved avionics. The latest mainstream generation is the CH-47F, which features several major upgrades to reduce maintenance, digitized flight controls, and is powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines.
Specifications (CH-47F)
General characteristics
Crew: 3 (pilot, copilot, flight engineer or loadmaster)
Capacity: 33–55 troops or 24 stretchers and 3 attendants or 24,000 lb (10,886 kg) payload
Length: 98 ft (30 m)
Fuselage length: 52 ft (16 m)
Width: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) (fuselage)
Height: 18 ft 11 in (5.77 m)
Empty weight: 24,578 lb (11,148 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,680 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines, 4,733 shp (3,529 kW) each
Main rotor diameter: 2× 60 ft (18 m)
Main rotor area: 5,600 sq ft (520 m2)
Blade section: root: Boeing VR-7 ; tip: Boeing VR-8
Performance
Maximum speed: 170 kn (200 mph, 310 km/h)
Cruise speed: 160 kn (180 mph, 300 km/h)
Range: 400 nmi (460 mi, 740 km)
Combat range: 200 nmi (230 mi, 370 km)
Ferry range: 1,216 nmi (1,399 mi, 2,252 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,522 ft/min (7.73 m/s)
Disk loading: 9.5 lb/sq ft (46 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.28 hp/lb (0.46 kW/kg)
Armament
- Up to 3 pintle-mounted medium machine guns (1 on loading ramp and 2 at shoulder windows), generally 7.62 mm (0.308 in) M240/FN MAG machine guns, and can be armed with the 7.62 mm M134 Minigun rotary machine gun.
- Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) (MH-47G/CH-47F)
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