The fact that the CH-47 has been in operation for 60 years—and remains one of the Army’s most effective helicopters—speaks to its significance.
With an unmistakable silhouette, the Boeing CH-47 Chinook may be the most easily recognizable helicopters in the US military inventory. The tandem-rotor heavy-lift CH-47 has been in continuous use since the 1960s and has long since been synonymous with logistical muscle and battlefield mobility. Even today, the CH-47 is central to US operations, thanks to a combination of raw lifting power, versatility, and a surprisingly broad flight envelope.
The CH-47 Chinook Copter’s Capabilities
- Year Introduced: 1962 (CH-47A); current CH-47F entered service 2007
- Number Built: 1,200+ (all variants)
- Length: 98 ft 10 in (30.1 m) overall with rotors turning; fuselage ~51 ft (15.5 m)
- Rotor Diameter: 60 ft (18.3 m) each rotor
- Weight:
- ~24,578 lb (11,148 kg) empty
- ~50,000 lb (22,680 kg) max takeoff weight
- Engines: Two Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshafts (~4,733 shp each)
- Top Speed: ~170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h)
- Range: ~400 nmi (740 km) with standard fuel; up to ~1,100 nmi (2,000 km) ferry with tanks
- Service Ceiling: ~20,000 ft (6,100 m)
- Payload: Up to 24,000 lb (10,886 kg) external load; ~33–55 troops or 24 stretchers internally
- Armament (optional): 3 × 7.62 mm M240 or .50 cal M2 machine guns (door and window mounts)
- Aircrew: 3 (pilot, copilot, flight engineer/crew chief)
The Chinook Is Big, Heavy—and Fast
The CH-47 Chinook’s primary purpose is obvious on sight; the helicopter is a heavy lifter. With two counter-rotating rotors mounted fore and aft, the CH-47 avoids the torque issues that require tail rotors on single-rotor helicopters. The tandem-rotor design not only maximizes lift but also allows for a spacious and unobstructed fuselage, meaning more room for cargo.
The helicopter’s most modern variant, the CH-47F, can carry more than 24,000 pounds externally on a center cook, or internally in its cavernous hold. That remarkable lifting ability means the Army can transport artillery pieces, armored vehicles, shipping containers, or up to 33 fully equipped troops—all by helicopter. The CH-47 can even handle sling loading, thanks to three external hooks, which enables sling loading in environments where conventional landing is impossible.
The CH-47’s utility extends beyond simple battlefield supply, however; the helicopter is a vital piece in Army medical evacuation, disaster relief, and humanitarian missions, where its ability to move people, vehicles, and aid into austere locations makes it invaluable. The CH-47 is also quite fast, capable of exceeding 170 knots, which is closer in speed to small utility helicopters than other comparable heavy lifters.
The CH-47 has a wide and forgiving flight envelope. The helicopter is capable of operating in a wide variety of environments, from the deserts of the Middle East to the mountains of Afghanistan, where most helicopters struggled during America’s 20-year war there on account of its thin air and high altitudes. With a service ceiling of nearly 20,000 feet, the CH-47 can insert troops and equipment into mountain outposts where alternative helicopters simply cannot access.
Again surprisingly for its size, the CH-47 is highly maneuverable. The helicopter can hover with precision, land on slopes up to 20 degrees, and even perform “pinnacle landings,” where only the real wheels go down, on ridgelines or rooftops. And because the CH-47 is so robustly constructed, it can fly in adverse weather, handle heavy crosswinds without being bullied around, and power through turbulence that would render flight impossible for smaller, lighter helicopters.
The Chinook Isn’t Going Anywhere
The fact that the CH-47 has been in operation for 60 years speaks to the helicopter’s significance. Tactically, the CH-47 is a gamechanger, allowing the Army to airlift artillery into firing position in just a few hours, or leapfrog terrain obstacles with armored vehicles, or deliver fully loaded troops directly into combat. As such, the CH-47 enables speed and agility, which is of increasing importance as the nature of warfare shifts towards irregularity in the 21st century.
For 60 years, the CH-47 has proven itself as an enabler, capable of bridging the gap between air mobility and ground power. Logistically, the CH-47 is perhaps in a class of its own, which is why the type has as much value in 2025 as in 1965, an unusual and remarkable accomplishment in military aviation.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Shutterstock / WildWestScott.
