The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $15,665,000 firm-fixed-price type delivery order modification to an existing contract for the procurement of long-lead spare components and parts in support of the MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. The Boeing MH-47G is a special operations variant of the CH-47 Chinook multi-role, heavy-lift helicopter. It is in service with the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOC). The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park.U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity.
The MH-47G is used in heavy-lift missions such as the transportation of troops, ammunition, vehicles, equipment, fuel and supplies, as well as civil and humanitarian relief missions. The helicopter can conduct long-range missions at low level, in adverse weather conditions during the day and at night. The first new-build MH-47G helicopter was delivered to the USASOC in September 2014. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) of the US Army has the requirement for 61 MH-47Gs. The MH-47G modernisation programme is aimed at delivering a mix of remanufactured and new MH-47Gs to the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOC).
The MH-47G incorporates a monolithic, machine-framed fuselage integrating long-range fuel tanks, and an extendable refuelling probe to receive fuel mid-air from fixed-wing tankers. The helicopter also possesses advanced cargo-handling capabilities. The helicopter is powered by two Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines, which develop a maximum power output of 3,529kW each. The engines are equipped with infrared (IR) exhaust suppressors to reduce the IR visibility of the helicopter. The helicopter has the capacity to carry 7,828l of fuel. The power plant provides a maximum speed of 315km/h and long-range fuel tanks ensure a maximum mission radius of 630km.
The helicopter is armed with two M134 7.62mm electrically operated, air-cooled mini guns and two M240 7.62mm belt-fed machine guns mounted on either side of the fuselage at the forward and rear sections. The defensive aids aboard the rotorcraft include a common missile warning system (CMWS), an integrated radio frequency countermeasures suite, a laser warning system and XM216 dark flares. The helicopter can be fitted with special operations equipment such as a fast rope insertion extraction system (FRIES), a special patrol insertion and extraction system (SPIES), a rope ladder, an electrically powered rescue hoist and a personnel location system (PLS).
