US Army launches Chinook Block 2 production

The US Army has launched its Block 2 programme for the CH-47F that could see more than 500 Chinooks upgraded over the coming years. (US Army)

The US Army has launched Block 2 production of the Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, with the manufacturer announcing two awards valued at a combined USD165 million.

Boeing said on 4 October that USD136 million had been awarded for the first Block 2 Chinooks to be delivered in early 2023 (part of a wider award potentially valued at USD391.4 million), while another USD29 million had been granted for the second production lot of Block 2 Chinooks.

“This contract allows us to officially begin production of the Block 2 aircraft, and we believe this award, as well as recent testimony from US Army leaders, shows a strong commitment from our customer to this programme,” a Boeing spokesperson told Janes . “This also puts us in a strong position to support the US Army's heavy vertical lift needs well into the future.”

News of the awards came approximately two-and-a-half years after Boeing flew a Block 2-standard CH-47F Chinook for the first time. The milestone took place at the company's Philadelphia production facility in Pennsylvania in March 2019.

Boeing told Janes