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U.S. Army Expands Heavy Lift Fleet with New CH-47F and MH-47G Chinook Helicopters in FY2026 Plan.
The U.S. Army’s Fiscal Year 2026 defense budget includes funding for six CH-47F Block II and five MH-47G Block II Chinook helicopters, according to released planning documents. The move underscores sustained confidence in the Chinook as the Army’s core heavy lift aircraft at a time of rising global operational demands.
In a clear signal of strategic continuity and modernization momentum, the U.S. Army has earmarked fresh procurement and R&D funding for its CH-47F and MH-47G Chinook helicopters under the Fiscal Year 2026 defense budget. Released budget documents confirm acquisition plans for six CH-47F Block II and five MH-47G Block II aircraft, continuing a critical investment in the Army’s only heavy-lift rotary-wing platform amid growing operational demands and geopolitical volatility.
The U.S. Army’s FY2026 budget continues Chinook modernization by funding new CH-47F and MH-47G Block II helicopters to sustain its heavy lift capability amid rising global demands (Picture Source: U.S. Navy / DVIDS)
This year’s funding package isn’t limited to fleet expansion. It also underwrites a sweeping modernization strategy that leverages both production line optimization and advanced survivability testing, ensuring that new airframes are not only more capable but far better equipped to survive in peer-threat environments. The Chinook’s enduring relevance is being engineered into every rivet and rotor blade.
The CH-47F Block II variant represents a marked evolution over earlier production models. It incorporates Advanced Chinook Rotor Blades (ACRB), engineered with swept-tip geometry and improved composite materials, increasing lift capacity by up to 1,500 lbs per blade. Block II airframes also feature an upgraded powertrain, improved drivetrain torque handling, and redesigned fuel cells that provide 515 gallons of usable fuel, up from 403 gallons in Block I. Combined, these upgrades deliver enhanced operational range, higher payload thresholds, and better reliability under extreme conditions.
On the special operations front, the MH-47G Block II remains the pinnacle of U.S. rotary-wing stealth and survivability. Designed for nighttime and low-visibility operations, the aircraft integrates a terrain-following radar, radar cross-section reduction measures, and a fully integrated digital cockpit (Common Avionics Architecture System - CAAS). The Block II variant adds ACRBs, the Enhanced Digital Advanced Flight Control System (AFCS), and further strengthens the monolithic machined airframe structure, which reduces weight and boosts fatigue life. It is also expected to include improved infrared suppression systems, crucial for high-risk ingress and egress missions behind enemy lines.
While procurement continues apace, FY2026 funding devotes significant resources to Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities focused on finalizing system-level qualification and performance testing. This includes validation of critical onboard systems, such as the Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) suite, the Multi-Anti-Jamming GPS Antenna (MAGNA) for improved resistance to electronic attack, and the Eagle M Embedded Global Inertial (EGI) navigation system that ensures positional integrity in GPS-denied environments. These systems are undergoing extensive environmental testing and mission profile simulations to meet full-rate production and operational fielding criteria.
In parallel, flight dynamics engineers are refining handling qualities through adjustments to the AFCS and digital flight controls, reducing pilot workload during degraded visual environment (DVE) operations. These improvements directly support faster, safer insertions and extractions under fire, particularly for special operations aircrews operating in hostile terrain with limited support.
Despite long-term efforts under the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative, the FY2026 structure affirms the Army’s pragmatic strategy to bridge capability gaps by doubling down on a proven platform. Pentagon officials are signaling that near-peer competition in the Indo-Pacific and Europe requires a ready-now lift capability, and the Chinook remains unmatched in that category. The aircraft’s ability to transport a fully combat-loaded Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) or up to 26,000 lbs of external payload remains vital for rapid maneuver operations in austere environments.
Production of both CH-47F and MH-47G variants continues at Boeing’s Ridley Park facility in Pennsylvania, where supply chain resilience and long-lead material procurement remain tightly managed under the Army’s multiyear contracting strategies. Boeing’s Block II production line is optimized to integrate user feedback and field-level upgrade kits, reducing logistical burden and increasing lifecycle readiness.