Long-Term Deal Valued At $4.3 Billion
Boeing was recently awarded a five-year US Army contract valued
at $4.3 billion for 181 CH-47F Chinooks and 10 additional Chinooks
under Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental funding. There are options in
the award for an additional 24 aircraft over the course of the
contract.
"This multiyear award will yield a cost savings of more than
$449 million for the US Army and taxpayers," said Jack Dougherty,
vice president, Boeing H-47 Programs. "This also builds security
into our production schedule for the next five years, stabilizing
the work force for Boeing and for our supplier partners in more
than 45 states."
"The Army is committed to providing an outstanding CH-47F
Chinook aircraft to our soldiers in the field," said Col. Newman
Shufflebarger, Army project manager for Cargo Helicopters. "This
multiyear award not only allows the Army to field this important
aircraft at a substantial savings, but enabled the contractor to
enter long-term agreements for specialty metals, to include
titanium, which significantly reduced long-lead times for these
critical materials. The Army was able to reduce the lead time
associated with a new-build aircraft by six months."
Also from the US Army, Lt. Col. Thomas H. Todd III, product
manager for CH-47F, said, "This multiyear settlement is the result
of the tireless efforts of government and Boeing representatives.
It ensures that our soldiers will maintain a technological
advantage over our adversaries when it comes to heavy-lift
missions."
"A long-term contract commitment is good for the warfighter, the
Army customer and US business," said Ken Eland, chief engineer for
Boeing Tandem Rotor Programs and capture team leader for the
company's CH-47F multiyear pursuit. "This award enables Boeing and
our Team Chinook partners to make capital investments to reduce
lead times for parts and components, improve parts availability and
provide for a more accurate delivery schedule, which will enable
greater precision in fielding the Chinook to US Army units."
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems has delivered 48 CH-47F helicopters to
the US Army to date and has fully trained and equipped two units,
with a third unit scheduled to stand up in August. Since the
aircraft received its combat-ready certification from the Army in
2007, the F-model has completed several thousand flight hours,
including deployments to Liberia in support of US President George
Bush, and is currently undergoing its first deployment to Iraq.
As with its predecessors, the CH-47F continues to excel across
the full spectrum of operational missions, including air assault,
combat re-supply, humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and
transport operations.
Built at the Boeing Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley
Township, PA, the upgraded CH-47F helicopter features a newly
designed, improved airframe, a Rockwell Collins Common Avionics
Architecture System (CAAS) cockpit, and a BAE-designed Digital
Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS).
The CAAS greatly improves aircrew situational awareness, and
DAFCS provides dramatically improved flight-control capabilities
through the entire flight envelope, significantly improved
performance and safety in the harshest of environments.CAAS also
incorporates an advanced digital map display and a data transfer
system that allows storing of preflight and mission data. Improved
survivability features include the Common Missile Warning and
Improved Countermeasure Dispenser systems.
Powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines, the new
CH-47F can reach speeds greater than 175 mph and transport more
than 21,000 pounds. The CH-47F, with the Robertson Aviation
Extended Range Fuel System, has a mission radius of more than 400
nautical miles.