Boeing Gets Another SOCOM MH-47G Block II Contract

Boeing on Dec. 11 received another $271 million contract to build six MH-47G Block II helicopters for U.S. Special Operations Command, bringing the total fleet of special operations versions of the twin-rotor to 42.

“The Chinook has been a key player in the special operations domain for many years. USASOAC [United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command] and international allies have used the unique capabilities of the Chinook to complete the most daring missions around the globe,” Heather McBryan, Boeing’s vice president and program manager of cargo programs, said in an announcement. “With the modernized MH-47G, USASOAC soldiers are well-suited to meet today’s challenging environment.”

The contract comes as the U.S. Army is still considering its potential plan for the full-rate production of a Block II variant of the CH-47.

The Army is undertaking a heavy-lift study that is expected to guide its plans for the CH-47F Block II, with the results expected to be announced in the fiscal 2025 budget request to be released next spring. In the meantime, the conference draft of the fiscal 2024 defense policy bill released Dec. 7 attempts to push the Army toward the buy through authorizing additional funding for CH-47F Block II advanced procurement.