NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Boeing hopes Congress will fund more CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters for the Army within the fiscal 2024 budget — against the service’s wishes — so as to keep the corporate’s production line busy. However the service’s acquisition chief said in a recent hearing that Germany’s plan to purchase the aircraft needs to be enough to support Boeing and avoid the Army having to purchase more.
The Army decided in 2019 that it will not procure the CH-47F Block II for the lively fleet so it could begin heavier investments in its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft and the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft it desires to field within the early 2030s. The service remains to be looking for 69 of the most recent Chinook variant for special operations in the shape of the MH-47 “G” model.
Boeing won a contract last 12 months to construct 60 CH-47 Chinook helicopters for Germany.
The Block II version of the Chinook featured latest rotor blades, however the Army abandoned the trouble a 12 months ago on account of excessive rotor blade vibrations that, in accordance with the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester, posed a flight risk. The version also incorporates a brand new fuel system, electrical system and stronger airframe to extend lift capability.
Because the 2019 decision, Congress has pushed back on the Army’s decision and injected funding into the its budget, forcing the service to purchase the Block II variant for the lively force. Over the past three budget cycles, Congress has funded a complete of 10 Block II Chinooks for the regular Army.
Again within the FY24 request, the Army asked for under six G model helicopters, and none for the lively force.
“The Army does recognize the importance of [the CH-47] industrial base and particularly the human capital aspect of it. It’s vital,” Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said during a House Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee hearing last week.
“The budget request did include, once more, our six aircraft for special operations forces,” he added. “One thing that has modified is the excellent news that the German military has decided to purchase the CH-47 … which provides us the chance to retain that workforce. Whichever direction the Army ultimately goes, [it] buys us some more time.”
The Army had hoped foreign military sales might help shore up Boeing’s production line to maintain the commercial base for the Chinook going strong. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville argued shortly after the service decided to curb the Block II variant for the regular Army that foreign military sales could bolster the road.
Army officials pointed to each Germany and Israel as potential customers. Israel ultimately selected the Sikorsky-made CH-53K King Stallion for its heavy-lift program in 2021.
Boeing officials told Defense News in 2019 that even when Germany and Israel each went with the CH-47, it wouldn’t be enough to support the production line while also keeping the workforce and sub-tier suppliers lively over time.
Boeing’s senior director for international government services, Mark Ballew, told Defense News on April 27 on the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual conference that the sale to Germany is a “huge help,” but it surely only keeps the production line in Pennsylvania at a minimum sustainment rate.
The corporate also signed a contract with Egypt to construct 12 additional Chinooks, and South Korea has signed a letter of agreement for 18, which may also help fill the gap, in accordance with Ken Eland, Boeing’s Chinook program manager.
Eland said he’s hopeful Congress will again fund more Block II Chinooks to the lively force in its FY24 budget, which can contribute to the health of the availability chain and the production line.
Boeing and Congress are due for a more definitive answer on the Army’s plan for the lively force this 12 months. Bush noted that there’s a decision point in 2023, which might feed into the FY25 budget request being built right away, on where it should ultimately land with regards to providing the most recent variant to the lively force.
“The aircraft that Congress has added for the Army to acquire, we’ve got procured and we’re going to field,” Bush said. “But I feel right now, it’s a matter of balancing resources across your complete Army. That’s the query in front of senior Army leaders with regard to where this falls in the combo.”
However the Army has set its sites on future vertical lift endeavors.
“What I feel’s necessary right away is to get FARA and FLRAA over the hump … get it fielded and there’s a program of record,” McConville told reporters on the AAAA conference on April 27. “Having that transformational capability is where [we] wish to go. We’d like to proceed constructing out the CH-47, which really comes right down to money.”
Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.