Boeing Chinook Projects

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On this day in 1961


So happy 60th to Chinook and I saw a Foxtrot at DSEI last week in London. Belonging to Big Windy from the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade at Katterbach in Germany so here are my photos

cheers
 

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Honeywell improved T-55 engine for the Chinook: 6000shp, 21000lb of Payload, part count reduction, maintenance simplified and increased range with an 8% sfc reduction:

 
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Spanish CH-47F to be equipped with a customized protection suite:
The self-protection suite of the Spanish Chinook consolidates Indra’s new airborne electronic defence standard, in which the RWR ALR-400FD radar alerter (contracted in 2020 for NH-90) and DIRCM InShield (contracted in 2017 for A400M and in 2020 for NH-90) are joined by the InWarner as a state-of-the-art laser warning sensor (LWS) and missile warning sensor (MWS). This self-protection system will be exportable to other CH-47 aircraft as well as to all types of fixed and rotary wing platforms.

 
Block II blades "shelved" for now :(

In 2020, the service was dealing with excessive rotor blade vibrations from the ACRBs as it headed into a limited-user test scheduled for early 2021, so the service decided to cancel that test until it had worked through the issues.

 
It's a fairly complex problem and there isn't probably a simple solution like everyone has been searching. It won't be solved with a side budget either.
It's sad that Boeing doesn't see the benefits of investing into solving this problem. IMOHO, any EV VTOL project could benefit from meshed/coupled rotors disks. So RoI could be substantial well beyond the Chinook.

So, meanwhile, I guess all the fancy improvements in performances... Are to be forgotten.
 
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It's a fairly complex problem and there isn't probably a simple solution like everyone has been searching. It won't be solved with a side budget either.
It's sad the Boeing doesn't see the benefits of investing into solving this problem. IMOHO, any EV VTOL project could benefit from meshed/coupled rotors disks. So RoE could be substantial well beyond the Chinook.
At the very least, the Block II project is still continuing sans rotor blades so all is not lost. Now the Army just needs to buy more!

The remainder of the upgrades are on track, such as the improved transmission — which gives the Chinook an extra 4,000 pounds of lift capability and a 10% increase in torque — some reliability improvements on the rotor head, and an integrated single-fuel system that adds another 100 gallons of fuel capacity.
 
‚„Supposedly“ Berlin is buying the Boeing CH—47F for the Bundeswehr — Luftwaffe for their STH requirement.


(my swag from European Rotors 2021!)

cheers
 

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Certainly is a logic to it. Several NATO members already operate CH47. It does have a very mature industrial base, and logistics organization as well. The only downside is that some of the vehicles that the Fallschrimjager use may not fit internally any more. There are of course a number of alternates that do.
 
Although a good news for Boeing, it sounds weird for the German army. This reduced payload capacity will also certainly impact their cargo fleet which is already impacted by the An-124 reduced availability across both the Ukrainian and Russian fleet. Logic would have dictated to secure a system that would have not let any carryover burden across their logistical chain. The devil is in the details.
 
Although a good news for Boeing, it sounds weird for the German army. This reduced payload capacity will also certainly impact their cargo fleet which is already impacted by the An-124 reduced availability across both the Ukrainian and Russian fleet. Logic would have dictated to secure a system that would have not let any carryover burden across their logistical chain. The devil is in the details.
There are no doubt a number of political aspects that will be associated with the deal. No doubt the offsets with German industry are a part of the decision as well.
For instance the United States Army is no doubt breathing a bit easier, as the production line in Pennsylvania is secure for a few more years. This means the Army may not get dictated to by the US Congress to buy new and unfunded platforms. The US Army CH-47 fleet is the youngest by flight hours. Buying and/or converting "F" model to "G" is not cheap. The lion share of the Army Aviation budget is of course consumed with the FVL purchase.
Another aspect may be that the Germans have observed the civil work done by CH47 (UK floods come to mind), fire fighting, that would be difficult for CH53 to do because of the downwind/outwash, that is massive.
 
RAF Review 2017-Aircraft and Weapons.
 

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Another Chinook victory:

According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.


Probably the best incentive in decades for Frenches to, yet again, attempt an invasion...
 
Another Chinook victory:

According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.


Probably the best incentive in decades for Frenches to, yet again, attempt an invasion...

ironic as 5 and half decades damn near 6 decades ago when the Bundeswehr were looking at Chinook and BV-107 but chose the 53.


Not that cut and dried am afraid

1) Parliament have not approved it as this was MoD recommendation and my sources over there tell me it’s gonna take a while

2) the 47 does not fit the STH requirements laid out but the King Stallion does ( I was at ILA Berlin 2018)

3) Boeing are prob jumping the gun…

4) Have not seen any FMS approving sale of H-47 to Germany from Dsca…

Cheers
 
I suspect that while the 53K better supports the STH requirements, the cost remains politically unviable. I suspect the rational that a number of other NATO partners are using the 47 and they (Germany) would fit into a mature sustainment grid has played well with the requirements community. If you can't afford the requirement, change it. Seems a popular theme these days in military rotorcraft.

I agree that Germany is not known for being expeditious with military programmatic decisions. Regardless there won't be new helicopters for the Bundeswehr in the next couple of years.
 
Another Chinook victory:

According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.


Probably the best incentive in decades for Frenches to, yet again, attempt an invasion...
Anyhow nit gong to lie, a Chinook in Luftwaffe markings color looks nice, however if and if it goes through I suspect they will keep the sandy colors like what the Dutch have with their new Foxtrot Models as the USArmy.

cheers
 

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Anyhow nit gong to lie, a Chinook in Luftwaffe markings color looks nice, however if and if it goes through I suspect they will keep the sandy colors like what the Dutch have with their new Foxtrot Models as the USArmy.

cheers
Or something akin to this:

7804-german-army-nhi-nh90-tth_PlanespottersNet_349295_6c9e502327_o.jpg
 
It would seem that the venerable Chinook is quickly becoming the NATO Standard Cargo Helicopter.
 
Another Chinook victory:

According to past planning data, the Bundeswehr was set to acquire 45 to 60 heavy-lift helicopters for some 4 billion euros ($4.29 billion), to be delivered between 2023 and 2029.


Probably the best incentive in decades for Frenches to, yet again, attempt an invasion...

According to business insider, the proposed German purchase could be double the price


'
Six billion euros ($6.47 billion) had been budgeted for the helicopters, but the U.S. Army has signalled to Germany that the desired equipment is cost-intensive as some components have not even been fully developed, the German news outlet said.

Expensive extra requests from Germany and inflation could raise the price to as much as 12 billion euros, the report said, adding that features such as aerial refuelling and special rotor blades were not yet available.

"We haven't yet received the letter of offer and acceptance from the U.S., so we cannot make any statement as to the price," a ministry spokesperson in Berlin said.

A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment on the prices, noting that this was a deal between governments and the company was a supplier to the U.S. Army.

Boeing is currently working on new rotor blades as part of the Chinook's Block II configuration but these developments had not been requested by Germany, the spokesperson said.

On aerial refuelling, the person added that this had been a feature of Chinook helicopters for 35 years.'

cheers
 

A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment on the prices, noting that this was a deal between governments and the company was a supplier to the U.S. Army.
Interestingly I have not seen any DSCA FMS announcements re this.
 
Some details of CH-47 participation to the operation in Sudan yesterday:

Sims said at a briefing that the mission got underway at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, when two MH-47 Chinook helicopters took off from Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, refueled in Ethiopia and flew into the Sudanese capital of Khartoum to evacuate the U.S. embassy. He said the special forces team was on the ground in Khartoum for less than an hour.

Sims said that "under" 100 people [78 in fact as we later learned from other sources], including Americans from the embassy and other personnel from unidentified embassies, were evacuated, including all U.S. Marines who were providing security at the embassy.

The Navy's SEAL Team Six took part in the planning and execution of the evacuation, a U.S. official told ABC News.


Overall, the rescue helicopters flew 1,600 miles from Djibouti to Khartoum and back.

Sims said that for much of their transit, the helicopters flew in at 100 knots and low to the ground in pitch black conditions. He said the helicopters did not take any ground fire on their way in and out of Khartoum.

 
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Would like to see a an artists concept of how a Royal Navy Chinook look like , please if anyone be kind enough.

cheers
Sadly I never found one when I was researching TAATH, but as I'm going to be doing another naval volume soon I'm still on the hunt.
Basically - as far as I can tell - it would the Gnome Chinook (as seen here) with the stub-wing/weapons pylon of the ACH-47.
 

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