Boeing has received a $139.8 million contract to provide four MH-47G Block II Chinook helicopters to the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. The contract was first announced on the Pentagon website on June 29, 2018.

Boeing will deliver four MH-47G Chinook helicopters, the special operations variant, under a new contract with the U.S. Army
(Credit: Boeing)

“The Army uses the MH-47G for some of its most difficult and challenging missions,” said Pat Donnelly, director, H-47 Domestic and Foreign Military Sale Programs.

“By incorporating key Block II features we significantly extend the service life, enhance performance, and maintain Chinook’s position as the world’s preeminent special operations helicopter.”

These helicopters mark the start of a Block II production run expected to extend into the late 2020s.

The US Army has 69 MH-47G Chinook helicopters. Concurrent with the MH-47G enhancements, Boeing is developing a Block II configuration for the U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook.

Maintaining the same basic fuselage, fuel system, power train, engines and performance standards as the MH-47E, the "Gulf" model has further structural modifications including a new cockpit with an extended nose and technological enhancements for special operations missions. Maintaining the same basic fuselage, fuel system, power train, engines and performance standards as the MH-47E, the "Gulf" model has further structural modifications including a new cockpit with an extended nose and technological enhancements for special operations missions. 

It also has multi-mode radar to navigate challenging environments and dangerous terrain; a Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System (FRIES) for insertion of personnel and equipment and extraction of personnel; a defensive armament system with two M-134 “Minigun” machine guns and one M-60D machine gun; and an external rescue hoist.