“This is not your great-grandfather’s Chinook.”
On Monday, proud Boeing employees, members of the Army, and elected officials gathered at Boeing’s Ridley plant to laud the competition of the first Ch-47F Block II helicopter, the latest design of the iconic army helicopter, one of thousands built at the plant.
“Today begins a new chapter, with the upcoming delivery of the first modern CH-47F Block II, the U.S. Army is receiving an aircraft that can lift more, fly farther and be in position for an affordable future, upgrades that will keep the Chinook flying for over a century,” said Boeing Senior Manager Ed Hassiepen in remarks on the shop floor.
Elected officials have said a new Army contract will assure that the heavy-lift workhorse will be in production for up to another 20 years.
Presently the factory is at the minimal sustaining rate and from start of final assembly to delivery of a helicopter is 12 months. With increasing orders they can go much faster, said Boeing Vice President and Manager for cargo helicopters Heather McBryan.
The company is on contract for six new Chinooks and has advanced procurement for six funding through 2024 with more expected in future budget years.
“It’s going to stabilize the factory for many years to come,” said Kathleen Jolivette, Boeing Vertical Lift vice president.
Germany is coming on board with the purchase of Chinooks in 2027, and with that, the company expects to ramp up production.
Officials said they are presently at a production rate of 18 aircraft a year, with the German orders that is expected to rise to the mid-20s per year.
McBryan said the new design has an improved drivetrain, reinforced airframe and a redesigned fuel system that will minimize the need for maintenance and costs to keep the aircraft flying into the future. The Army has committed to fly the Chinook through the 2060s.
Over 950 Chinooks are in the air across 20 militaries — 450 in the U.S. Army — with many having been remanufactured as technology improved.
Army Col. Daniel Thetford, project lead for the Army Cargo Helicopters Project Office, said that in his experience the Chinook is easy to fly and easy to maintain, and is the perfect choice for the job. He also praised the team who build it.
“There are few people who do what you do, defend the nation,” Thetford said. “A weapon of war but also a weapon of peace.”
The politicians
“This is a huge victory,” said Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-5).
Scanlon said keeping the program funded has been a battle over the past five years and the Army has now committed to nearly 20 years of funding for the program.
“We are also here to celebrate the future of the Chinook. The Army’s decision in 2019 to pause the program gave rise to an extended time of uncertainty for our community and especially for the workers here in Ridley Park,” she said. “Multiple rounds of layoffs that effected hundreds of workers as Boeing downsized it’s operations due to uncertainty about future contracts.”
Scanlon said over $1 billion has been secured to continue production of the Chinook and the Osprey lines.
Officials say the downstream job creation from Chinook work in Ridley Park results in thousands of jobs created in the state and the region.
According to officials in Scanlon’s office, there are 36 suppliers creating over 6,000 jobs in Pennsylvania on over $1 billion in contracts. Nationally it is 20,000 jobs over 38 states.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. said at the core the new Chinook is the people, and he thanked United Auto Workers Union Local 1069 and the workers for building the craft.
“The best skilled workers in the world,” Casey said. “Let’s celebrate the value of this work, what it means to our national security, what means to helping our war fighters prevail in very difficult circumstances. The precision, the skill, expertise, the professionalism of the workforce is something to celebrate.”
Looking to the future
Jolivette said Boeing is also looking at bringing other products beyond roto-craft into the Ridley plant.
“Composites is a specialty we do here in Philadelphia. We’re really good at composites, also looking at that capability and what other content can we bring in,” she said.
Jolivette also praised the engineering team, saying they support projects across the company, including commercial and defense.
Asked if recent events in which Iran fired over 300 weapons at Israel after an Israeli strike killed a number of high ranking officials in Syria April 1, was bringing the U.S. into a war, Scanlon said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tactics have been concerning but it is critical to pass a defense bill that would support Israel and humanitarian aid for Gaza, as well as Ukraine.
“This weekend there was a lot of diplomacy behind what went on. Netanyahu had authorized an attack on the Iranian embassy. The Iranians were bound and determined to respond,” she said. “A lot of different people worked to make sure it was a measured response, rather than immediate escalation. We need everybody to keep de-escalating here. We need to get to a durable peace.”
