Last week, Boeing announced that it had been awarded two new contracts for CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters for the United States Army. The Lot 4 and Lot 5 awards are valued at 461 million USD and include nine examples of the heavy-lift rotorcraft, increasing the total number of modernised Chinooks under contract to eighteen.
The latest awards follow the Rapid Fielding Effort, announced by the US Army in September 2025. The programme focuses on procuring the CH-47F Block II rotorcraft during the current and next fiscal years. According to official information, the Rapid Fielding Effort aims to deliver Chinook helicopters to two Combat Aviation Brigades, thereby modernising the US Army’s heavy-lift fleet in preparation for future large-scale combat operations.
The CH-47F Block II rotorcraft are being acquired by upgrading existing Block I helicopters through the recapitalisation process. To date, Boeing has delivered six CH-47F Block II production helicopters to the US Army, which are currently undergoing a series of evaluations to demonstrate their enhanced capabilities.
“The rapid succession of contracts indicates that the Chinook will continue to play an important role in the U.S. Army’s family of systems, particularly in a contested logistics environment,” said Heather McBryan, Vice President and Programme Manager, Cargo Programmes, Boeing Defense, Space and Security. “We value our partnership with the Army and the support from Congress as we deliver this modernised capability to the warfighter.”
The CH-47F Block II features an improved drivetrain, a reinforced airframe, and an enhanced fuel system. The maximum gross weight of the rotorcraft has been increased by 4,000 pounds, while its mission radius has also been significantly extended. In addition, the Block II design allows for future technological upgrades. According to Boeing, the Block II Chinook will meet the US Army’s goal of flying for at least another 40 years.
In 2021, the US Army awarded Boeing a contract for the first four CH-47F Block II rotorcraft, worth 136 million USD. This was shortly followed by a Lot 2 order, valued at 63 million USD, increasing the number of helicopters to six. Work on the modernised Chinook rotorcraft began in April 2022, and the first upgraded helicopter was delivered in mid-2024.
Boeing has also disclosed that it is working closely with the Army on a path forward for Lot 6. Currently, the US Army operates more than 400 examples of the Chinook helicopters, which could potentially be the subject to the Block II upgrade.
Cover photo: Boeing CH-47F Chinook Block II. All photos and quotations © Boeing. Information from The Boeing Company press releases were used.
