Last week, Boeing announced the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) awarded the company a contract worth 240 million USD to remanufacture five MH-47G Block II Chinook rotorcraft. The deliveries were set to begin in 2027.
The MH-47 helicopter is a derivative of popular heavy-lift Chinook rotorcraft, tailored for special forces requirement. The first variant of the aircraft, designated MH-47D, was developed in the early 1980s. The helicopter was equipped with a fast rope-rappelling system, additional defensive modifications and a vibration reduction system. The MH-47D was also the first rotorcraft in the world equipped with refuelling probe. An interesting fact is the helicopter can be refuelled in mid-air in less than four minutes. The first version of the special operations heavy-lift rotorcraft was built in twelve examples.
In 1991, prototype of MH-47E performed its maiden flight. It was an upgraded version of the D variant and featured, inter alia, bigger fuel tanks and terrain-following radar. The MH-47E was manufactured in twenty-six examples.
At the beginning of the 2000s, another version of the special operations Chinook helicopter was developed. The rotorcraft, designated MH-47G, completed its maiden flight in 2004. The aircraft featured a digital avionics suite, including glass cockpit, as well as new configuration of defensive armament, with two 12.7 mm machine guns (later replaced by two 7.62 mm machine guns and two 7.62 mm miniguns) and possibility to carry air-to-air missiles. There were twenty-five examples of G model rotorcraft built, all remanufactured from the existing aircraft of D and E version.
In 2020, the Boeing company began with deliveries of another modernized variant of the Chinook helicopter to the USASOAC. The new standard was designated MH-47G Block II and included all the features of the initial G version plus long-range fuel tanks, increased cargo-handling capabilities, enhanced ability to operate in conditions of extremely poor visibility and adverse weather.
´Supporting the needs of our special operators continues to be critically important,´ said Heather McBryan, Cargo Programs vice president and program manager for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ´USASOAC has unique and complex mission requirements, so it’s vital we provide the enhanced capabilities of the MH-47G Block II as quickly as possible.´
The award follows USASOAC’s acquisition of four MH-47G Block II aircraft in 2024. With this award, the US Army now has a total of 51 MH-47G Block II aircraft under contract. Boeing anticipates completing the entirety of the USASOAC Chinook fleet in early 2030.
The MH-47 special operations helicopters were, and still are, solely in service with the USASOAC, namely the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The only foreign operator that bought the MH-47 version was the United Kingdom – in 2001, the Royal Air Force acquired eight Chinook HC3 helicopter, an equivalent to the MH-47E. However, they were equipped with different avionics that turned out to cause several technical issues and the British special operations Chinooks never entered service. Lately, all the HC3 rotorcraft were converted into common HC2 and HC5 standards.
According to the Boeing company and the US Army aviation, the new upgrade of the MH-47, called Block 3, is expected to be introduced into active service beyond 2025. That modernization is expected to include more powerful powerplant and lengthened fuselage.
Cover photo: Boeing MH-47G Block II Chinook. All photos and quotations © Boeing. Information from The Boeing Company press releases were used.
