The UK can replace the entire 60-man Royal Air Force (RAF) Boeing CH-47 Chinook with a new construction example to enable future operation of the tandem rotor type. .
London has expressed interest in acquiring 16 F-Model Chinooks, possibly a long-range MH-47G variant, but has not shown broader requirements. US approval of a potential $ 3.5 billion deal was awarded in 2018.
But Colonel Paul Morris, deputy head of planning, the British Army's aerial maneuverability capabilities, told the Royal Aeronautical Society's Next Generation Aircraft Conference on Jan.20 that Britain had a long-term plan. for the CH-47 fleet.
As part of the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program (CSP), older cells will be replaced through the first phase of efforts. This will bring about "a transformational change to British capacity [vertical heavy lift] through the purchase of the new Chinook H-47 (ER) aircraft," according to the slide presented as part of Morris's presentation. .
In addition, it will replace "the most obsolete Chinook aircraft as soon as possible".
The oldest CH-47D in the RAF dates from the early 1980s, according to data from the Cirium fleet. However, the most recent example - the 14 F-model HC6 - didn't start arriving until 2014. All were enhanced with general digital flight controls.
The follow-up stage "will examine the remaining obsolescence problem of the aging fleet," slide notes. Morris added that the second phase "will involve the entire fleet".
The graphic accompanying the slide shows that by 2034, the majority of Britain's current Chinook fleet will accumulate over 10,000 flight hours.
The acquisition as part of the first-phase business is currently in the "evaluation phase," Morris said.
He declined to speculate on the number of helicopters considered part of the second-phase acquisition, noting that this would depend on the outcome of the Ministry of Defense's ongoing integrated review.
However, he said his concern was to provide "the best possible capability to the end user."
"For that, we pushed the numbers we got," said Morris.
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