UK Chinook
- Boeing offers lifetime support for UK Chinook fleet
The United Kingdom’s (UK) Royal Air Force (RAF) 38 operational Chinook aircraft form the heavy-lift element of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), able to carry 55 troops or 10-tons of freight and conduct a wide range of missions including re-supply, troop insertion and medical evacuation.
In December 2009, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced its intent to acquire 22 more Chinooks to add to the existing fleet. The first ten new Chinooks will start to roll off the production line in 2012 and be completed in 2013 increasing air support on the front-line in Afghanistan.
The Chinook is a capable and versatile support helicopter that can operate in diverse environments ranging from cold weather ‘arctic’ conditions to desert warfare operations. It has been involved in most of the UK operations since it first entered service in 1982, such as peace keeping in Bosnia, Kosovo operations, evacuation of Sierra Leone, and most recently operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In September 2009, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that Boeing’s UK Rotorcraft Support business will lead the integration of an upgrade programme for UK Chinook cockpits. Advanced, digital cockpits will be provided by industry partner Thales, enabling better vision for pilots at night. Honeywell will provide more powerful engines for the heavy lift helicopters allowing an increased rate of ascent, a capability desperately needed when crews encounter heavy ground fire.
UK Chinook:
Chinook aircraft are well equipped for their varied roles and are fitted with a satellite Global Positioning System (GPS), an Instrument Landing System (ILS), comprehensive avionics that enable them to fly in airways, and an extensive radio suite. The aircraft cockpit has a full night-time capability and includes night-vision goggle (NVG) equipment, thus allowing low-level night operations in hostile environments. The aircraft also carries dual-mode landing lights that can be switched between white and infrared light, which are supported by infrared searchlights operated by the two crewmen.
The Chinook is well equipped with defensive aid suite (DAS) which includes a radar warning receiver (RWR), missile approach warning system (MAWS), infrared jammers and chaff and flare dispensers, which can be manually or automatically fired. The aircraft is further protected with internal ballistic protection (BP) and can be armed with two (2) M134 Miniguns, one in each front side window, and an M60D machine gun on the ramp.
General Characteristics:
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Engines
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(2) Textron Lycoming T55-L712F (turboshaft)
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Thrust
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3,140 SHP (each)
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Max Speed
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160 kts (varies with aircraft gross weight, altitude & power)
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Service Ceiling
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6,096 m (varies with aircraft gross weight & power)
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Aircrew
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4
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Fuselage Length
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15.47 m
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Overall Length
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30.14 m
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Width
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4.39 m
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Height
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5.78 m
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Rotor Diameter (Span)
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18.29 m
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Internal Payload
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≈9,300 kg
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Cruising Speed
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134 – 139 kts (99% Best Range Airspeed)
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Empty Weight
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11,410 kg
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Max Gross Weight
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24,494 kg
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Mission Radius
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120 km (9,838 kg internal payload with 50 km reserve)
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Through Life Customer Support
The UK Chinook Through Life Customer Support (TLCS) programme is a performance-based logistics agreement with theMinistry of Defence (MoD) guarantees to provide a minimum of 27 aircraft available on a daily basis, often exceeding that goal.
Under the 34-year contract, the MoD is able to include Urgent Operational Requirements (UORs) as well as programmes such as the Julius cockpit upgrade and the Mk3 Reversion programme.
n 2006, Boeing partnered with Vector Aerospace (formerly, the UK MoD Defence Aviation and Repair Agency) to capitalize on local resources while infusing Boeing technical and lean expertise into UK Chinook operations to improve the helicopter fleet’s readiness while reducing costs.
The Chinook TLCS programme provides heavy maintenance, engineering technical support, supply chain management including spares forecasting and procurement, aircraft and component repairs, publications management and modification services for the UK’s fleet of 40 Mk2/2A Chinook helicopters.
In October 2007, Boeing assumed full supply chain responsibility for the UK Chinooks on The Boeing/Vector Aerospace team, in cooperation with the MoD, has increased the availability of the current fleet by two additional Chinook aircraft for Afghanistan to be available at all times for as a result of steadily improving capability delivery under the TLCS contract.
Work on the TLCS programme is conducted in four UK locations – Vector Fleetlands, Vector Almondbank, RAF Odiham Air Base, and RNAS Yeovilton – and provides depot maintenance and logistical parts support on-site. The programme is bolstered by cost-saving activities at Boeing’s Rotorcraft Systems in Philadelphia and Army Integrated Logistics in Huntsville, Alabama.
Mk3 Reversion
In January 2010, the Ministry of Defence announced the delivery of two of the eight Chinook Mk3 to the Chinook Forward Operating Base at RAF Odiham with a third awaiting delivery. After extensive testing, these three (3) aircraft achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC); subsequently they will be used in training and operations. The remaining five (5) aircraft will be delivered in 2010 for use in operations.
On Dec. 14, 2007 Boeing and representatives from the UK MoD signed a $115 million contract to reconfigure eight (8) Mk3 Chinook helicopters to the current Mk2/2A configuration. The Mk3 Reversion Programme, led by Boeing with support of several key supplier partners including QinetiQ and AgustaWestland, will maximize commonality with the existing Mk2/2A fleet and integrate survivability upgrades based on Urgent Operational Requirements (UORs). As the Mk3 aircraft enter service later this year, they will also be supported under the TLCS programme.
The companies, originally contracted separately, came together in early 2009 in a working partnership under Boeing leadership to better align and integrate their schedules to deliver the aircraft as promised to the MoD.
Julius Cockpit Enhancement
Under the well-established TLCS contract Boeing signed a contract with the MoD in December 2008 to install an upgraded cockpit into eight of the Chinook fleet. In August 2009, an extension of the initial contract was signed to fit the enhanced cockpit capability across the entire RAF Chinook fleet.
Boeing will act as the prime contractor with Thales UK as the principal supplier and Vector Aerospace as the installer on the first eight. The first of the modified JULIUS Chinook helicopters is expected to be available to commanders before the end of 2011 and a majority of the Chinook fleet to be fitted with JULIUS by the end of 2015.
Background:
Chinook helicopters were introduced in 1962 to the U.S. Army as the CH-47 Chinook, and models A, B and C were deployed in Vietnam. As the product of a modernisation programme, which included refurbishing existing CH-47s, the first CH-47Ds were delivered in 1982 and were produced until 1994. Since its introduction 1,179 Chinooks have been built for defence forces around the world and play an active role with coalition forces in Afghanistan today.