The Royal Netherlands Air Force recently received the first of 20 CH-47F Chinook helicopters with an upgraded cockpit, aircraft manufacturer Boeing has announced.
The new Chinooks will be a fleet equipped with the same technology as the US Army, including digital automatic flight controls, a fully-integrated common avionics architecture system (CAAS) glass cockpit, and advanced cargo handling capabilities.
As explained by Boeing, the common configuration leads to lower overall life cycle costs.
The RNLAF currently flies a mix of F-model Chinooks with the advanced cockpit management system (ACMS) and CH-47D Chinooks.
“It has been a pleasure to work closely together with the US Army and Boeing teams to achieve this milestone,” said Col. Koen van Gogh, Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation. “The Chinook helicopter is a vital asset for our missions and the in-time delivery certainly supports our operational planning.”
Deliveries to the RNLAF are expected to continue into 2021. Chinooks are currently in service or under contract with 20 international defense forces, including the US Army, US Special Operations Forces and eight NATO member nations.
