[Pics] Boeing delivers 20th CH-47F Chinook to the Royal Netherlands Air Force

Boeing delivered the 20^th CH-47F Chinook to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), concluding the country’s latest fleet update.

“Our continuing partnership with the Royal Netherlands Air Force exemplifies the value of a modern and versatile Chinook fleet,” said Ken Eland, vice president and H-47 program manager. “These state-of-the art aircraft will significantly improve their defence and humanitarian assistance capabilities.”

The Netherlands is one of eight NATO countries to operate the Chinook and has fielded the aircraft continuously since receiving its first CH-47D models in 1995. In 2016, the RNLAF purchased14 new CH-47F Chinooks through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Military Sales program. In 2017, the RNLAF signed an agreement to upgrade their remaining six D-model Chinook helicopters to the latest F-model configuration, ensuring commonality of systems for their entire 20-aircraft fleet.

“This is a milestone for us. We have newer radios and newer equipment which help our pilots operate better in different environments than we do already,” said LTC Wil van Rijn, senior system integrator of the Chinook, Dutch Ministry of Defence.

The CH-47F Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter containing a fully integrated, digital cockpit management system compatible with Common Avionics Architecture System. The Digital Automatic Flight Control system allows pilots to hover in place or land in situations with limited visibility, such as brownouts. Its advanced cargo-handling capabilities further complement the aircraft’s mission performance and handling characteristics. A modernised airframe increases the stability and improves the survivability of the aircraft.

It is now over 60 years since the Chinook made its first flight (21 Sept 1961). The machine has evolved considerably since then. Whether flying in difficult combat conditions, carrying loads of cargo and troops or carrying out humanitarian missions, the Chinook has made a career of doing the unthinkable.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Chinook will be an aeroplane for at least 100 years,” said Patrick Serfass, Boeing’s global sales and marketing representative for Vertical Lift. “It will work and work for the United States and its allies well beyond 2060.”

Retired pilot Herman Richardson, who flew Chinooks for the U.S. Army and later worked at Boeing, recalls that the Chinooks had only a fraction of their current power. Looking back on his service during the Vietnam War, Richardson said, “We couldn’t fly them like we do now.“

During his career, Richardson has had a front-row seat to the evolution of the Chinook. He flew all versions of the Chinook as it progressed from A to G models, and he saw the power of the rotorcraft become its greatest attribute. “It’s been a joy ever since,” he said. “There is no better aircraft to fly than the Chinook.”

The countries in which the F-version of this air giant operates on a daily basis are: Australia, Canada, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the USA. Germany is also expected to join the list with an order for 60 helicopters and India with an order for 15 helicopters. All versions combined, it operates in many other countries such as Argentina, Libya, Morocco, Thailand and Iran, among others.

Some characteristics of this extraordinary flying machine: a maximum speed of 302 km/h, a MAX take-off weight of 22 tonnes, a fuel payload capacity of 3914 litres, a long fuselage of 15.46m and a height of 5.68m.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 14, 2022