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United States Boeing
CH-47F Chinook
Tandem-rotor heavy-lift transport helicopter that has served the U.S. Army since the 1960s, upgraded through multiple generations to carry troops, artillery and cargo in the most demanding environments.
In service since 2001 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
315
km/h
741
km range
5,640
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $38,500,000 — Approximate flyaway unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 2001. Status: active · ~1,200 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$96M – $135M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 315 km/h Stronger than 81% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 260 km/h Stronger than 55% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 741 km Stronger than 53% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 5,640 m Stronger than 51% of helicopters
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 30.1 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 5.68 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 11,055 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 22,680 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
- Cargo payload
Maximum cargo the transport can carry. Higher means more lift per sortie.
- 12,700 kg
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 33 Top 9% of helicopters
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 4,868 hp Top 10% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $38,500,000 Stronger than 35% of helicopters
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,200 Stronger than 86% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 20 Stronger than 88% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing CH-47F Chinook? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook has a maximum speed of 315 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing CH-47F Chinook? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook has a maximum range of 741 km.
How much does the Boeing CH-47F Chinook weigh? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook has a combat weight of 22,680 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing CH-47F Chinook require? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook requires a crew of 3.
What engine does the Boeing CH-47F Chinook use? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook is powered by the Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft.
How many countries operate the Boeing CH-47F Chinook? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Boeing CH-47F Chinook cost? +
The Boeing CH-47F Chinook has an approximate unit cost of 38,500,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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