The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme remains on track, following earlier concerns highlighted by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) regarding certification risks for tranche one of the project.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said that “the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25 referenced the Chinook H-47 (Extended Range) certification risk to highlight that timely information sharing between the US and the UK was important to meeting the Programme schedule.”
He added that “significant progress has been made since the publication of the NISTA report to ensure the timely release of information from the US Government. The Programme is on track to conduct flight trials in 2027, managed in association with the US Government, ahead of final certification agreement with the UK Military Aviation Authority.”
Pollard noted that the NISTA report also acknowledged the considerable attention and resources being dedicated to certification, underscoring the importance of the Extended Range variant to RAF heavy-lift operations.
In a related response, Pollard confirmed the current Chinook fleet composition, stating that “there are currently eight HC5, 14 HC6 and 29 HC6A Chinook variants in service.” While he withheld details of individual airframe lifespans on national security grounds, he reaffirmed that “the retirement of the 14 oldest Chinook helicopters will be synchronised with the delivery of 14 new state-of-the-art Chinook H-47 Extended Range aircraft from 2027 onwards.”
The H-47ER will feature upgraded avionics, extended range capability, and improved interoperability with allied forces. Its introduction is intended to maintain continuous heavy-lift readiness as the RAF’s legacy platforms are phased out.
The picture seems to indicate a refuelling probe. If so what will provide the tanker component?
Don’t ask silly questions, same as F35A, C17, P8, E7 ie NATO partners only.
The French use Hercules to refuel theirs….
Oh wait we don’t have any anymore.
That is probably a stock picture and a USSOC version.
The Chinook has a refueling probe, the Voyager has the drogue. Simples. However, having said that, can a Chinook refuel in the wake turbulence of a Voyager? I expect a Hercules would fit the bill… but we’ve got no Hercs. Back to square one…
No, I don’t think so.
Can a Voyager fly slow enough or a Chinook fly fast enough to fuel off each other?
We did have a suitable air craft but some clown got rid of them, now Turkey are buying them
Give we have two helicopters (Merlin HC4 and CH47) that can receive aerial refuelling and an Aircraft (A400M) that can do aerial refuelling it makes no sense to me that we do not have the capability to refuel helicopters in flight.
It would be invaluable for both special force insertion as well as Combat Search and Rescue and it’s a major capability we can bring to European NATO to help replace the USA in a key enabling role.
*given
Lots of things we do make little sense – the justifications for not doing them even less sense!
Very much so.
How much was saved buying 12 F35As that we cannot refuel over 12 F35B that we can?
Put the money towards refuelling capability for some Atlas and Booms on the Voyagers while we are at it.
A massive force multiplier that surely, SURELY, won’t break the bank compared to the multi billion programs we have.
I think the A400 has been found to be a bit ‘iffy’ refueling Helicopters Jim, those vast blades throwing up a hurricane of turbulence in its wake…
Chinook’s are cool looking helicopters.
51 left.
Still a good level, for a change!
Do you think it would be worth investing in more?
Actually, no, apart from the 14 ER versions ordered which are needed for DSF, even more now some clever dick saved a few quid and cut their SF fixed wing variant, the Hercules of 47 Sqn SFF.
I understand that we don’t have the crews to man what we have anyway.
51 heart lift helis, quite a force still.
I wonder what ever happened to the Medium Lift Helicopter? They probably forgot to organise a new research project….
Probably the govt is ‘doing all in their power’ to solve the problem! Ie Jack shit🙄
Don’t mention the medium helicopter Geoff, it will only get the usual suspects ranting again, namely me!
And me….BH, ahem.
Wildcat, jobs for the boys, ahem.
Looks like the long rumbling discussion will probably end with a pointless handful of AW149, or sod all mate!
They’ll buy something, or Yeovil is toast.
And industry is their priority, not the military.
What’s your guess? I say no more than 25.
In the 2030s if we’re lucky.
I suppose so, the Leonardo mafia will get their order mate.
I think you are on the money, somewhere between 18 and 25 airframes that will be 50% more expensive than the Polish examples, because we just have to ‘tinker’…
Probably not sufficiently Navalised either ( although that should be a key requirement with our tiny Helo fleet), no tie down points or manually folding blades, just to top tbe shit show off….