CH-47F Chinook

A US Army CH-47F carried a HMMWV as an underlsung load during flight testing.

The CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter (ICH) is a twin-blade, tandem rotor, heavy lift helicopter in use with the US Army.

A remanufactured and upgraded CH-47D, the F model features a number of upgrades and improvements over its predecessor. The US Army plans to have upgraded its entire CH-47D fleet to CH-47F standards by 2018.

Upgrades to the CH-47D include 2 T55-GA-714A Turboshaft engines rated at 4,868 horsepower each which allow the aircraft to carry more cargo at higher altitudes in hot climates.

The CH-47F also boasts a digital cockpit which integrates flight, mission, communications and navigation data onto a series of LCD displays.

The upgraded Chinook also features structural modifications that allow for faster preparation for air transport in cargo planes plus improved corrosion resistance. The helicopter's airframe has been re-designed to reduce vibration at high speeds.

For self-defense and landing-zone suppression, the CH-47F can be armed with M60D or M240D 7.62mm belt-fed machine guns on various mounts, including on at the rear.

The CH-47F is or will soon be in service with other militaries including the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the British Royal Air Force.

CH-47D Specifications

US Army flight engineers man a M60D 7.62mmx51mm belt-fed machine gun mounted at the rear ramp of a CH-47F

Crew	Pilot, Co-pilot + 3 flight engineers / gunners
Engines	2 x T55-GA-714A Turboshaft engines @ 4,868hp each
Dimensions	L - 15.87m W (rotor diameter) - 18.82m H - 5.59m
Weights	12,210 kg (empty) 24,494 kg (max loadout)
Max Speed	259 kph
Range	1382 km
Armament	3 gun ports (port/starboard and rear) : 3 x M60/M240D 7.62mm machine guns
Avionics	Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System BAE Digital Advanced Flight Control System MIL-STD 1553B databus GPS/INS navigation Digital Moving Map ARC-164 UHF AM dual ARC-201D VHF FM Sincgars radios ARC-186 VHF AM/FM radio ARC-220 HF radio AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver AN/APR-44 radar warning receiver APR-39A(V)1 Radar Signal Detecting Set AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems M-130 chaff/flare dispensers

Inside the CH-47F cockpit - a series of multi-function displays (MFDs) display aircraft systems, communications and navigation data for the pilot and co-pilot.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army

CH-47F FEATURES

robertson aviation extended range fuel system
detuned airframe with reduced vibration at high speed
flare dispensers to defeat heat-seeking missiles
rf countermeasures for defending against radar-homing threats
sealed belly allows for amphibious operations ie can belly-land on water
night-vision-goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit
digital cockpit
automatic target hand-off system
redundant electrical system
modular hydraulic system
single-point pressure refueling

A CH-47F prototype pictured during flight testing.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army

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