Boeing begins build of new UK Chinooks
The UK is to get 14 new CH-47 Chinook ER helicopters, which will be similar in appearance to the ‘fat tank' Chinook HC5 variant (pictured) already in RAF service. (Janes/Patrick Allen)
Boeing has begun the build of new CH-47 Chinook Block II Extended Range (ER) helicopters for the Royal Air Force (RAF), UK Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle disclosed on 13 May.
Answering questions in parliament, the minister said that assembly of the first two of 14 helicopters had commenced at Boeing's Ridley Park production facility near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, with deliveries to commence from 2027.
Production of the new helicopters is understood to have commenced in early March, with an image supposedly of the first panel signed and dated by UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials being posted online. Boeing declined to comment to Janes on the image at the time.
With deliveries running through to 2031–32, the new helicopters will replace 23 of the RAF's oldest Chinook Helicopter Cargo (HC) 6As to leave a final fleet size of 51 Chinook HC5/6/6A and Chinook CH-47F ER helicopters.
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