Boeing has been awarded an $876.4-million US Army contract for as many as 60 CH-47F Block II Chinooks, advancing the military’s modernization of its heavy-lift fleet. The package includes logistics support, training services, and engineering activities, with all manufacturing to take place in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, until late 2035. Oversight will be provided by Army Contracting Command-Redstone, and financing draws from FY2026 Germany case funds. The Block II Chinook introduces key performance improvements, including upgraded flight controls, a strengthened fuselage, new electrical systems, and a redesigned fuel architecture, all aimed at delivering higher lift capacity and better mission endurance. The US Army plans to eventually transition over 400 older Block I models to Block II. Boeing recently received two additional contracts for Chinooks: $461 million for nine aircraft and $135 million for three more. The CH-47F is a 98-foot tandem-rotor aircraft capable of transporting troops, vehicles, supplies, or medical casualties. Two Honeywell T55 engines power the helicopter to 170-knot speeds with a range exceeding 1,200 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet.
