The US Army has awarded Boeing a $63 million contract modification for the delivery of two more CH-47F Block II Chinooks and long lead funding for additional aircraft.
Last year, the Army awarded Boeing a $136 million contract for the first four CH-47F Block II aircraft, which began production in April 2022. The order from Friday brings the total number of aircraft under contract to six.
The CH-47F Block II program provides additional capability to the field with greater reach, increased payload capacity and an increase in maximum gross weight to 54,000- pounds.
According to the Army, the Block II will also enable the Army to better support the rapid response capability necessary for forcible and early entry contingency missions as well as tactical and operational nonlinear, noncontiguous, simulations or sequential operations.
“Modernizing the Chinook for our Army customer is a priority,” said Ken Eland, Boeing vice president and H-47 program manager. “CH-47F Block II improves readiness, limits future sustainment costs and provides commonality across the fleet. We’re dedicated to making CH-47F Block II the best option for the Army’s heavy lift mission, now and well into the future.”
F-15 Japan Super Interceptor Program contract option
The Chinook order was one of several contracts the Pentagon announced on Friday, September 30. The company also received $188 million for work on the F-15 Japan Super Interceptor Program, which will see Japan’s F-15J fleet receive new advanced electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, in addition to a modernized cockpit system. The contract modification follows a $471.3 million contract from December last year.
Other contracts include a $43.5 million award for Infrared Search and Track System (IRST) pods for the US Navy, as well as a $12.8 million award for an unspecified Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) research project.
