CHINOOK UPGRADE: What's The RAF Getting From A £1.4bn Contract? 🚁

[@buzzbolt4387]

Chinook Air Crew - More bottle than a milkman! God bless. Stay safe. 🇬🇧

[@jonreid7957]

I don’t understand this decision. The MOD has chosen the most effective, logical and sensible choice in purchasing these new birds. What in the hell is going on? (sarcasm, sigh)

[@shaundavidssd]

Its almost as if they've developed foresight

[@mayajrj]

@@shaundavidssd or someone wasn't thing right?

[@underwaterdick]

Two things... One, it has taken years longer than it should have done to actually make this decision. Two, remember the Mk3/5 Chinook saga where buying some extra airframes sounded like a good idea.

[@somethingtogohere]

These regularly fly over my town in the early hours of the morning, rattling the windows. And you know what? I don’t mind a single bit. Nothing but respect for their crews.

[@AnthonyFurnival]

Same here and completely agreed! I’d miss them if they moved away!

[@cyanoticspore6785]

Same except I normally get them in the evening as far as I'm aware, I don't suppose they'd wake me up if they came in the morning

[@handyandy6050]

It's not the sound of a Chinook, it's the sound of freedom! ;-)

[@jamesoneill2933]

@@handyandy6050 The noise of British military has , down through the ages evoked many emotions , most of them not positive ones.

[@petermallia558]

98' is the length from rotor tip to rotor tip when rotors are in operation, otherwise it's less and the helicopter fuselage itself is only around 50'. CH-47F Technical Specifications Rotor Diameter 18.29 m (60 ft) Length with Rotors Operating 30.14 m (98 ft, 10.7 in) Fuselage 15.46 m (50 ft, 9 in) Height 5.68 m (18 ft, 7.8 in) Fuselage Width 3.78 m (12 ft, 5 in) Fuel Capacity 3914 liters (1034 gallons) Maximum Speed 302 km/h (170 KTAS) Cruise Speed 291 km/h (157 KTAS) Mission Radius 200 nm (370.4km) Service Ceiling 6,096 m (20,000 ft) Max Gross Weight 22,680 kg (50,000 lbs) Useful Load 24,000 lbs (10,886 kg) Similarly these number should also represent the CH-47-ER apart from efficiency and fuel savings, meaning it's operations mission radius should be a bit Better.

[@markmezo]

Nice one, why does this channel quote in imperial? UK has been metric since the mid 70`s

[@COIcultist]

Peter interesting pronunciation of RAF Odiham too!

[@matthewbrooker]

But do you know the sound it makes when it has evac'ed your mukka with a life saving surgical team on board in the morning? I thought not.

[@JCD275]

Flown on this a few times in Afghanistan. An unforgettable experience

[@jamesoneill2933]

Murder anyone interesting Fwad?

[@JCD275]

@@jamesoneill2933 huh?

[@Magicwand08]

@@jamesoneill2933 get a life, fwad.

[@sfoeric]

CH-47 is awesome!

[@dp0004]

I believe the Native American word 'Chinook' means 'Big Wind'. You can certainly understand that when you stand by one.

[@AnthonyFurnival]

Top news - as a local to Odiham - I’m delighted. I just hope that BN isn’t retired among the older units!

[@skylongskylong1982]

So the question is how many old chinooks are being taken out of service? My guess is more than the new ones on order. RAF is a shadow of its former self. No SAM capability, bomb disposal disbanding this year, and SAR consisting under six helicopters all in Cyprus. Cannot think of any other major Air Force so drastically cut to the bone.

[@markt9023]

We're no longer a super power so don't need as much as we did, all the forces are smaller we barely have enough to defend ourselves if we where attacked we shouldn't be helping anyone else!!

[@underwaterdick]

The army do SAM, not the RAF, so where is the issue? Again, the Navy and Army do the lions share of bomb disposal already due to how they operate, why do the RAF need it? And lastly, SAR? It's all covered privately, which works very well and ultimately gets value for money. No need for standalone military SAR. The military will always be there to help if need be. - Don't forget the SAR capability within the P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, that's RAF, and it's been missing a long time since the Nimrod was scrapped.

[@Dave617204]

9 are being taken out of service

[@streaky81]

Why on earth would the RAF need SAM capability? Also can we stop fighting 1950's wars please? If an enemy aircraft gets close enough to the RAF they need SAM a) they would have catastrophically failed in their mission already and b) we'll probably be at nuclear war and what we need is Trident, not SAMs.

[@underwaterdick]

@@streaky81 1950s wars? You need to do some research, having SAMs is still an important capability... Not for Homeland defence, because as you said, the fighters should be able to provide cover and if it is that bad, it's probably nuclear war. But, we get involved in conflicts all over the world, where we don't have hundreds of typhoons parked up ready to defend. A SAM is still something needed in the 2020s. But, it is not needed by the RAF, they often operate out of much safer territory where attack is highly unlikely. SAM is needed by the Royal Navy in its ship borne defences, and the land forces of the Army and Royal Marines, where they may be very close, or inside hostile territory.

[@mudabudda]

These aircraft are just ace 👌 glad to see common sense prevailed

[@richierich4810]

Good. About time we got some new kit.

[@francessweeney2308]

Upgrade it, a good decision-for once! The CH-47 has been around over 40years and everything from shoring up a busted dam, medical evacuations to fighting forest fires. It's especially handy at the last because it can drop over 2000 litres of water or retardant even in 35 knot cross winds with great accuracy. It can fill up it's tank and return in minutes whereas fixed wing bombers could take hours to drop their load, return to base,fill up and return to drop another load.

[@billyboblillybob344]

It's been around over 40 years...in the UK. It has served the US Army since the early 60s. It was developed in the 50s and clearly has been refined a great deal. It must be doing something right if it has survived and thrived for sooo long.

[@johnmurphy1631]

0

[@alfredbatchelor1954]

First time I flew in one was 1978 in the USA fort India Town Gap, last time was in 1989 Salisbury on exercise. Wonderful aircraft.

[@bigboy0625]

Hands down some of the best kit in the Military 👍🇬🇧

[@underwaterdick]

Certainly the hardest working kit and squadrons in the military.

[@Coldstreamer17]

American engineering at its best!

[@Steentje06]

Theyre great at military engineering aha.

[@Murphy252000]

Sikorsky was Russian :/

[@Murphy252000]

@eLKy 15 lol, was not too hot in Vietnam or afganistan :0

[@AJ-qn6gd]

I bet the Chinese can make them smaller and cheaper 😜🇬🇧

[@mayajrj]

What's happened to the 'Old War horse'.? The one that survived the Falkands and that Ian Fortune flew on a rescue mission in Afhganistan? I hope that's being preserved with such an illustrious history

[@lingerslongest]

I hope it, or one, finds it's way to Duxford.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Indeed like Humphrey in the Fleet Air Arm Museum

[@peacee2431]

There no mistaking a Chinnook. Damn I've been calling it a black hawk the whole time

[@andrewjohnston4127]

What's happening with the legendary BN? Is it still flying?

[@Dave617204]

Nope

[@oliem4245]

Awaiting upgrade to Mk.6A

[@Dave617204]

@@oliem4245 Upgrade to Mk6A for ZA718 has been cancelled

[@NOF4C3]

They need hundreds of these things.

[@streaky81]

Chinook has been around since the 50's - to have that kind of staying power in aviation you have to be a really remarkable piece of kit and the Chinook definitely fits the bill. They regularly fly past me in East London late at night (one day I'll find out why - presume training) and the sound is utterly unmistakeable. I still think the RAF could use a couple of Ospreys for SF and other uses too, but the Chinook is such an obvious workhorse it makes perfect sense to keep replacing them with more of the same.

[@JCD275]

I've been on one in Afghanistan - When they're tactically flying they fly very low. I suspect thats why they're flying where you are. This method is the same when they fly at night. I've been dropped off by chinook in afghanistan both day and night. When at night there is ZERO light anywhere. Even with NVG the skill level they must have is amazing. Depending on the location - i've also experienced zero G in a chinook too!

[@bluglouk]

I hope for that money they resolve the problem encountered by the one that got stuck in mud outside Wantage a couple of months ago....

[@bobnice3044]

i live in mid beds and i can hear chinook coming from 6 miles away...the other evening 23.00hrs one flew over my house at 1,500 ft it kept that height all the way into London...i thought the roof was coming off.

[@JCD275]

I've flown on one in afghanistan where we flew lower than cars on the side of a mountain

[@mickdarsey6814]

0:18 - The guy said variant of aircraft, instead of model. How odd...

[@underwaterdick]

Is the "ER" not a variant then? Many would call it that.

[@karenripley3678]

'Variants' are catching

[@eraldorh]

How the hell is 1 chinook costing as much as a brand new f-35???

[@davidsays682]

Yeah I was wondering how come they are 100m each.

[@oldsouthwales5179]

UK new chinook going to be different with regular chinook, it going to be a modified version of MH-47G use by US Army Special Operations Aviation Command. that's why they are more expensive than regular chinook, it got special feature that are not there in the regular one. also the price not for the airframe only, it included spare part, support contract, etc.

[@eraldorh]

@@oldsouthwales5179 If you have to add equipment and parts worth 3 times the value of the helicoptor then they are buying the wrong helicoptor. That would be like spending 100million each on f-35s then spending another 300million each specing them out.

[@googlearepedos5608]

Someone is getting back handers thats why.

[@oldsouthwales5179]

@@eraldorh while they shared the same airframe, this chinook is a whole new aircraft, it got different cockpit, new composite rotor, new transmission, new and more powerful engine which is very different with the legacy chinook that the RAF operate. i reckon that the price included spare parts, support contracts and training. not to mention we are the first export costumer of those version and there's not much block 2 chinook operating right now so the price still expensive. but the price will go down as more order come, especially from the US army who are looking to replace their existing chinook with block 2.

[@jamieryan5703]

Now this what Ireland Military should need for there troops

[@essexginge9167]

where are Ireland going to find 1.4 billion😂🤣 been begging money of the EU for years. Maybe we can sell them the old shitters for a discount

[@handyandy6050]

Let's hope it has a nice, reliable, software control system .....

[@pesquiglly_1969]

I agree!

[@haroldellis9721]

Imagine if you Scout Troop had one of these.

[@AJ-qn6gd]

Better than a beaten up old minibus 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@fToo]

since when did we use imperial units for length ?! and how about some indication of performance improvement - surely we should be expecting more than just a modest improvement in fuel consumption ?

[@AJ-qn6gd]

We’re out of the EU now so it’s back to imperial measurements, just waiting for £,S,d to make a comeback 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@belesariius]

WIll this one be able to move and fire over 20 mph ?

[@magecraft2]

Must admit I was surprised we have no medium lift helicopters after getting rid of the Merlin (in RAF not RN)? Seems like a capacity gap to me but I guess there was a plan. Both Chinook and Wildcat are very capable but does seem to be a gap.

[@1chish]

We are not getting rid of the Merlins and whether they are operated by RN or RAF they serve whatever role is needed. We are retiring the Pumas, Gazelles and older small fleet helicopters and these will be replaced by new build medium helicopters like the Leonardo AW149.

[@magecraft2]

@@1chish Thanks for the info had a look at RAF site and they did not list the Merlin's anymore. Will look into AW149 thanks :)

[@bobthebomb1596]

@@1chish RAF lost their Merlins due to their poor performance under hot and high conditions.

[@1chish]

@@bobthebomb1596 Really? I don't suppose you have sources and links for that statement because I have no such knowledge that was the case.

[@bobthebomb1596]

@@1chish Only that it was given as the reason the Merlin was withdrawn from Afghanistan.

[@Dave617204]

What makes it an ‘ER’ variant?

[@billyboblillybob344]

ER is usually "extended range" when it comes to helicopters. I'd go with perhaps some kind of modified fuel tanks for more capacity giving the ship that extended range.

[@Dave617204]

@@billyboblillybob344 Already have that with the 8x Mk 5 aircraft?

[@billyboblillybob344]

@@Dave617204 I don't know the "Mk 5 aircraft" reference. I just made reference to the "ER" meaning "extended range" in the couple other helicopter references I've seen over the years.

[@Frogboxer]

Ah...but can they stop an RPG?

[@curtiscarpenter9881]

Can a chinook carry/lift 100 tonnes off the ground?

[@terryforsdyke306]

no, that would require at least 9 working together, the max take off weight is 22,000kg (50,000 lb), with the empty aircraft weighing about 11,000kg (24,500 lb), meaning it can carry about 11,000 kg (11 metric tons)

[@donxz2555]

What happened to the ones sitting in a hanger for years because we wanted to do our own OS than use the manufacturers ? Now that was a bit of a clusterflook

[@Dave617204]

Flying as the Mk5 variant and proven themselves on operations

[@oldsouthwales5179]

they upgraded it as Mk5, some of them now are flying on operation in Mali supporting the french.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

How much is this in guineas and shillings?

[@RokeJulianLockhart.s13ouq]

2.8x10^10 shillings, or 2.94x10^10 guineas.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

@@RokeJulianLockhart.s13ouq I've been metric since 1972 and my brain's full.

[@RokeJulianLockhart.s13ouq]

@@VanderlyndenJengold The metric system is certainly more easy to understand, and is definitely much more practical for most circumstances than the Imperial System. 1 British pound is approximately equal to 1.05 British Guineas. It is also approximately equal to 20 British shillings.

[@ginvr]

Does this mean Bravo November "Lucky" will be retired?

[@parkerk6210]

god bless UK armed forces

[@dovidell]

The Israel Air Force opted for the CH 53 K in a runoff with the Chinook , so what persuaded the RAF to purchase THIS product ?

[@gazof-the-north1980]

Well for a start, the RAF has operated the Chinook for years. I'm *NOT* knocking or criticising the CH-53k which is an outstanding chopper but if the RAF had opted for that instead (CH-53K) it would mean literally starting again from scratch with training the pilots loadmasters, ground crew, mechanics etc.

[@dovidell]

@@gazof-the-north1980 thank you for the honest and polite reply !!

[@oldsouthwales5179]

Israel air force already operate legacy CH 53 it make sense that they going to buy CH 53K, just like them the RAF already operate chinook it that's why we going to buy chinook.

[@dovidell]

I'm not looking to rough people up the wrong way , because there are DEFINITELY valid points made to my observation - but due to political decisions , Israel DID switch aircraft suppliers from Britain to the U.S in the past . This meant complete re-training of ground crew and pilots , so radical change HAS occurred within the IAF . For those interested , The Israel Air Force museum has quite a collection of Gloster Meteor variants and the occasional Supermarine Spitfire on display, to mention just a few of the British aircraft ,which battled against its neighbours in the past

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

@Wallace Carney rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Westland(leonardo) would disagree with this comment.

[@DrivermanO]

Did you say £1.4 BILLION for 14? That's £100 MILLION each. Isn't that expensive for a helicopter? Or does it include spares, etc? If so, how much?

[@kevinyaucheekin1319]

Medium lift, not heavy. Higher end of the medium lift.

[@Dave617204]

Definitely heavy lift....

[@SamanthaGuttesen]

Can carry upto 22,000lbs of cargo. Wow. As much as a Lancaster then.

[@Kurio71]

Isn't this an army purchase?

[@xfire7]

Amazing, developed in the Vietnam war era !

[@d-rob5513]

It was developed before the Vietnam war

[@reasonabledoubt6908]

@@d-rob5513 by whom .. I always thought the reds

[@cyanoticspore6785]

@@reasonabledoubt6908 they have their own equivalent which is the MI8 I believe. I doubt we would use it if it was developed by the Soviets

[@billyboblillybob344]

@@reasonabledoubt6908 It was a Piasecki ripoff (unless Boeing took over Piasecki) since it was Piasecki that went hard into the twin rotor helicopter as far as western helicopters go. The Soviets did their own thing with most systems and were clearly capable of ripping off ideas from others just as much as any other country.

[@underwaterdick]

@@billyboblillybob344 not 100% sure but I think Piaseki was bought by Vertol, which is now part of Boeing.

[@xx6489]

100.000.000.00 each! WTF..... Saw us Fu c king coming didn't they.

[@tomsoki5738]

14? That’s not enough

[@Dave617204]

Why?

[@cyanoticspore6785]

Well were an island nation and not the biggest one at that, we won't need as much as a country like America would.

[@oldsouthwales5179]

14 to replace the 14 older chinook that in service since 1980, they going to order more to replace the older airframe (60 in total).

[@Dave617204]

@@oldsouthwales5179 Only 9 airframes being removed from service, and a spread across the fleet. Not just the oldest

[@cf3619]

14 arriving in 2026 😐 It’s not good enough.

[@donxz2555]

But we are getting a £200m pleasure boat for lard arse in Downing Street

[@SCscoutguy]

That is when the RAF asked for their delivery. Boeing submitted a bid that would have them all delivered by 2023 but the RAF didn't have the budget planned for that early. The US does the same thing as there is only so much money to go around any given year.

[@mikesmithg0rfd356]

you much save chinook (bn)

[@luxmid7486]

Your majesty, Oh great Queen of England, please send Canada a couple hundred million maybe a billion for some cool stuff

[@MrBook123456]

ok

[@glennridsdale577]

Why isn't anyone saying what these aircraft actually are? MH-47G's.

[@whatwhat3825]

Because the commercial name for it, sold by Boeing, is Chinook.

[@avro9159]

So is CH47ER the British designation for MH-47G?

[@cyanoticspore6785]

@@avro9159 no everyone calls them the CH47 because they're from Boeing, but I think the ER is a British variant.

[@avro9159]

@@cyanoticspore6785 From what I understand the MH47G is a variant of the CH47... I think? I'm really not sure, but the MH47G looks pretty badass, I hope it's those

[@cyanoticspore6785]

@@avro9159 my mistake, the MH-47G is a spec ops variant of the CH-47. And you're right, it does indeed look like an absolute badass.

[@romeisfallingagain]

awesome

[@hellbreaksloose5536]

They should have gotten at least an In Flight Refueling boom to extend the operational range.

[@underwaterdick]

What do you think the "ER" stands for in the name? Extended range! The MOD opted not to have the refuelling probe in the Mk6 when it was purchased. Not sure on the reasoning. However, there are ways of carrying more fuel, and there are plenty of ways to refuel a helicopter in the field. Lots of different solutions out there. How do you think the navy manage to operate their helicopters all over the world without airfields?

[@johnallen7807]

Grief! looks like a 14year old schoolboy commenting on defence airlift capability lol

[@reasonabledoubt6908]

😆😆😆

[@markmezo]

🤣😂🤣

[@stephenchappell7512]

If it ain't broke don't fix it

[@kolia5403]

I don't think one helicopter even with all maintenance support is worth 100 million especially when UK already has 60 chinooks in service and they know how to maintain it.

[@Dash101]

Ikr. I'm not being stingy, but 100mil. Really

[@ZackJordan25-s2v]

thats because as well as the chinooks they are coming with extra equipment/parts such as engines, machine guns, radar and missile-jamming equipment for the choppers.

[@ZackJordan25-s2v]

@@Dash101 thats because as well as the chinooks they are coming with extra equipment/parts such as engines, machine guns, radar and missile-jamming equipment for the choppers.

[@kolia5403]

@@ZackJordan25-s2v and where did it say that?

[@kolia5403]

@@ZackJordan25-s2v UK is scamming itself if they are buying things they can make themselves for cheaper

[@willsalazarramirez5139]

CLAYO

[@kel69222]

What a waist of our taxes

[@tiddyfard4517]

lmao 60 chinooks in total our armed forces are a joke

[@tekkersreefer8055]

Come with Covid tests swaps and a climate control button

[@paulmorgan121]

We should of brought 25 at least and more new tanks

[@Ronald7077]

What’s the point- wars will be fought from the air, missiles and drones.

[@hellbreaksloose5536]

It called air mobility and air lift those drones got to be moved somehow.

[@chill-theworstgamerinhisto9389]

Oh thank God, seeing that we are at war, these are going to be extremely handy....

[@쫑아와나비가보는세상]

🔞🚭🏴‍☠️

[@Dash101]

$1.4b less in the pockets of the taxpayer. So what are these helicopters more expensive than the F35bs we're buying

[@tomstravels520]

That question doesn’t make sense

[@lynx8437]

Stop crying, if my tax money is going on our troops I’m more than happy. FYI there is a lot more chinooks than f35s

[@tomsoki5738]

? F35’s are way more expensive than these. What are you moaning about? We can’t let our armed forces rot away like they have been for 30 years

[@cyanoticspore6785]

So we should neglect our armed forces for another 30 years? No. Go cry somewhere else. At least the money's being spent in something worth while, you know, the people that defend our country.

[@CallumThomas104]

So the RAF is getting a boost while the RN and army are getting cut and a lot of personnel are being cut.

[@lynx8437]

RN is getting a personnel increase?

[@CallumThomas104]

@@lynx8437 no, the RN is getting a personnel Decrease.

[@ThePaperCreater]

@@CallumThomas104 That's Tories for you

[@lynx8437]

@@CallumThomas104 no it’s not, it’s getting an increase. Watch Forces News video on it please lad.

[@avro9159]

@@ThePaperCreater 'That's Tories for you' how much do you think the BLM supporting Labour would want to increase the standing size of the military lol