The CH-47F Block II has improved efficiency, payload and fuel capacity, critical to the Army’s heavy tactical lift missions.
boeing announced On October 21, 2025, two US Army contracts, worth $461 million, were signed for nine CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters. These contracts, which cover lots 4 and 5, bring the number of Block II aircraft on order to 18 airframes.
the previous one December 4, 2024the contract covering Lot 3 was a $134 million award for three additional CH-47F Chinook Block IIs. The company is also “working closely with the Army on the path forward for Lot 6.”
Since beginning full production in February 2024, Boeing delivered the first production CH-47F Block II aircraft in June 2024, followed by the second in September. The Army has so far received six CH-47F Block II helicopters, which “are currently undergoing a series of evaluations to demonstrate their enhanced capabilities.”
TO September 30, 2025The Army’s press release, announcing a rapid deployment production decision for the CH-47F Block II, said that Block II is a “recapitalization” effort, converting existing Block I variants to the new standard. The Army’s current CH-47 fleet stands at 465 aircraft.
Supporting the Army’s quest to “advance its heavy lift modernization efforts,” Boeing vice president and head of cargo programs Heather McBryan said the “rapid succession of contracts indicates that the Chinook will continue to play an important role in the U.S. Army family of systems, particularly in a contested logistics environment.”
2️⃣ prizes for Block II!
Thank you, @USArmyto order nine CH-47F Block II #chinook helicopters.
These Block II Chinooks, joining nine aircraft already under contract, will provide enhanced lift, range and lift for future missions.
Further: https://t.co/aQmTTuvUZR pic.twitter.com/6Yq5yuKk2t
– Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) October 21, 2025
CH-47F Block II and future upgrades
The new purchase also comes amid Boeing’s presentation of kinetic launch effects concepts for the Army’s CH-47 fleet, showing expendable munitions, launched from chin-mounted tube launchers, attacking ground air defense sites, while operating alongside AH-64 Apaches and the Collaborative Transformational Helicopter.
These missions are likely to gain importance in the future in both the European and Pacific theaters as the Army reorients itself toward conventional warfare. The MV-75 tiltrotor would also be an important element in this mix, quickly moving company- or battalion-sized light infantry formations into defended locations.
🤝Chinook
🤝Apache
🤝 Collaborative Transformational Helicopter (CxR)
🤝 Advanced mid-range interceptorsTogether, these platforms provide the @USArmy the situational awareness, resilience and flexibility of an entire team.
See how our family of systems connects ground, air and… pic.twitter.com/2WINXZVHPe
– Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) October 14, 2025
The current CH-47F Block II features significant improvements, including an improved transmission and fuselage, increasing the maximum gross weight by 4,000 pounds and therefore significantly increasing lift capacity. “In addition, innovative fuel system changes extend the mission radius of nearly all payloads. Combined with improved maintenance and the ability to make affordable future upgrades, the CH-47F Block II will meet the Army’s desired goal of flying for at least another 40 years,” Boeing’s latest statement on the award of Lots 4 and 5 said.
Boeing has represented other updates to the Block II variant, which includes elementary autonomous operations in functions such as engine control, a new cabin design, customizable displays and an open systems architecture for future rapid upgrades. “These improvements will ensure that when time flies, the Chinook is still ready to go,” said the post accompanying the concept video.
A continued legacy… 👀
We are taking steps to enhance the capabilities of the CH-47F Block II: investing in autonomy, open systems architecture and a reimagined cockpit. These improvements will ensure that when time flies, the #chinook remains ready to serve.#AUSA2025 pic.twitter.com/M30VtSTID3
– Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) October 15, 2025
It is unknown if the Army will also accept these upgrades in the future, and what its modernization schedule and downtime would be.
An earlier experiment of sorts involved re-engineing a single CH-47 Chinook with the powerful General Electric T408 engines that power the US Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion. The war zone reported in November 2021. The GE T408’s 7,500 shaft horsepower (SHP) rating provides 2,500 more SHP than Honeywell Lycoming T55 turboshaft engines.
The future of the CH-47 Chinook in the army
In Boeing’s Dec. 4, 2024 press release about the Lot 3 award, McBryan said the CH-47F Block II’s “increased payload capacity and expanded range enable the U.S. Army to meet the changing requirements of heavy lift missions around the world.” As mentioned above, the upgraded powertrain and fuselage carry 4,000 more pounds of payload, “significantly increasing lift capacity.”
Blocks II, according to previous reports of aviation week and FlightGlobalThey have an improved Honeywell T55-715 engine, whose defining feature is the three fuel cells combined into a single fuel cell, eliminating fuel transfer hardware within the cell and reducing engine weight by 90 kg (200 lb). This increases fuel capacity, while an Active Parallel Actuator System (APAS) enhances the digital advanced flight control system, precisely splitting torque between the two rotors for greater efficiency.
The Army’s Sept. 30 press release also addressed how CH-47F Block IIs can utilize “increased payloads, greater range, and greater sustainability to create the engagement areas that contested logistics environments demand.” The Army explained that, “with an increased maximum gross weight of 54,000 pounds, the aircraft allows operational commanders to move more materiel, soldiers and fuel, farther and faster.”
Built different.
The CH-47F Block II #chinook expands heavy lift capabilities worldwide.
With redesigned fuel tanks, a reinforced fuselage and an improved transmission, the upgraded helicopter can lift higher, fly farther and work smarter. See the workhorse in action. pic.twitter.com/12CgIwCtff
– Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) October 22, 2025
The US military also added that the CH-47F Block II has generated “international interest”, with “a partner nation […] committed to 60 aircraft.” Although the Army does not explicitly state it, the partner nation is Germany, which selected the helicopter in 2022 to replace its aging CH-53s.
The Block II also shares “common elements” with the SOCOM (Special Operations Command) MH-47G variant, allowing “the Army and SOCOM to leverage each other’s modernization efforts.” Besides, “[…] “The Army reduces both production costs and long-term maintenance expenses, while simplifying logistics,” the Army statement said.
The press release quoted Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jordan Brooks, who emphasized that the “higher gross weight and higher torque” of the Block II Chinook translates to missions requiring two sorties and the Block I now only needing a single Block II sortie.
Testing of the CH-47F Block II Chinook with the Army
TO March 24, 2025 The Army press release revealed the two Special User Evaluation (SUE) tests of the CH-47F Block II Chinook in April and November 2024 by the General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, part of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. The “Soldier-Led Block II Assessment” provided extensive feedback to the Project Manager.
Crew members performed aerial gunnery tables from the rear cockpit windows, Rapid Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES) training, and additional sling loading iterations to familiarize themselves with the Block II’s increased lifting capacity.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Lantz, an instructor pilot at Bravo Company 6-101 GSAB, Lantz noted the improved software and cockpit displays in the cockpit, allowing easier access to data needed to evaluate the aircraft’s capabilities on various missions. Another feature Lantz said was the four gun mounts, saying that “doubling our firing capacity saves us time and fuel in training and will increase overall lethality.”
