CH-47 Chinook.

This is coolbert:

State-of-the-art??

Prince William CH-47 qualified!

"Britain buys 14 state-of-the-art Chinooks in £151m boost for economy – but there’s a catch"

"Chinook helicopters have been used in every major conflict in which Britain has been involved since the Falklands War in 1982."

From https://www.express.co.uk | By CIARAN MCGRATH, Senior News Reporter | Mar 30, 2024.

"Britain’s move to acquire 14 state-of-the-art Chinook helicopters has been tipped to boost the British economy by £150 million. [about $ 185 million USD]"

"However, a military analyst has warned the deal is not without its drawbacks."

An EQUAL number of Chinook already in the British inventory will be decommissioned and taken out of service and inventory.

"The deal, announced earlier this month, will bolster Britain’s heavy lift capability with 14 extended-range Chinooks (CH47-ER), which the MoD estimates will 'pump an estimated £151 million into the UK economy'."

"The aircraft, which can carry up to 55 personnel or 10,000 kg [about 22,000 pounds] of cargo, and which have a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour [about 180 miles mph] , will have a range of new capabilities, including an advanced digital cockpit and a modernized airframe to increase stability and survivability."

State-of-the-art Chinook as a heavily modified version of the original. rotary-wing aircraft. First envisioned as a concept in the late 1950's to replace American medium-lift helicopters of the Shawnee or Mojave class.

Chinooks at least by 1966 already in combat the Second Indo-China War.

Definite incremental changes to the Chinook since 1982 to include but hardly limited to:

"U.S. Army's first major design leap was the now-common CH-47D, which entered service in 1982. Improvements from the CH-47C included upgraded engines, composite rotor blades, a redesigned cockpit to reduce pilot workload, improved and redundant electrical systems, an advanced flight control system, and improved avionics. The latest mainstream generation is the CH-47F, which features several major upgrades to reduce maintenance, digitized flight controls, and is powered by two 4,733-horsepower (3,529 kW) Honeywell engines."

British helicopter contingents as part of what is called Joint Helicopter Command. Prince William his official military dress Royal Air Force.

coolbert.