"When I talk to aviators in theater today about the "F" model Chinook, the one thing I hear is 'awesome,'" said Lt. Col. Brad Killen, CH-47F product manager.

The "F" model Chinook, tasked with delivering supplies and troops at high altitudes in mountainous terrain such as in Afghanistan, is engineered with a Common Aviation Architecture System, or CAAS, cockpit, which consists of five multi-functional digital displays giving pilots key situational and navigational information, Killen explained.

"The CH-47 Chinook demonstrates its exceptional capabilities every day in combat operations making them powerful combat multipliers that save soldiers' lives and support overall contingency operations in theater," Killen said.

The aircraft also has a digital automated flight control system which, when coupled with the avionics built into the CAAS cockpit, can help stabilize flight and even help the aircraft to fly a given route by itself, Killen said.

Also, unlike previous Chinook airframes, which were built with rivets, the "F" model helicopter is engineered with a "one piece" monolithic airframe.

"With older helicopters you had rivets that held everything together. With the F model we went with one monolithic airframe. In a monolithic airframe you don't have cracks. It is one big piece," said Killen.

The technologies built into the Chinook "F" can even help pilots land in "brown out" conditions, said Col. Bob Marion, program manager, Cargo Aircraft.

"There is symbology on the multi-functional display that will show you where you are," Marion said.

Overall, the Army plans to field at least 440 Chinook "F's" by 2018, Killen said.

The U.S. Army is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Chinook helicopter this year. The first flight was completed in September 1961.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Biden, Putin discuss trade, missile defense Sea-Based Missile Defense Flight Test Results In Successful Intercept Netanyahu thanks Obama for 'Dome' missile funding Aegis BMD System Engages Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile For First Time Indonesia tests Yakhont missile, finally U.S. Army Awards Raytheon $173 Million Contract for Excalibur Pakistan tests latest defensive missile LockMart Tests JAGM Tri-Mode Seeker On Sabreliner First Flight of Heavy-Fuel Powered Fury 1500 UAS US drone attack kills six militants in Pakistan US mulling drones for Pakistan despite tensions US carries out first drone strike in Libya: Pentagon LockMart Battle Command System Replaces US Army Legacy System Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Integration of MONAX Communications System with Air Force Base Network Preparations Underway As US Army Gears Up For Large-Scale Network Evaluations Global Military Communications Market In 2010 US Army's new Lakota packed with high-tech gear Boeing Vigilare System Completes Operational Testing in Australia Researchers create terahertz invisibility cloak Apache to Field Ground Fire-Detection System India rejects Russia's fighter jet bid: official India shortlists Rafale, Eurofighter for jet deal India scraps Gripen from its jet shortlist Panetta: savvy US politico to tackle defense budget China's PM Wen says economic ascent not a threat Panetta to Pentagon in Obama shake-up China's army chief to visit US in May: state media General Petraeus, war 'hero' in Iraq, to lead CIA MLD Test Moves Navy A Step Closer To Lasers For Ship Self-Defense US Navy And Northrop Grumman Accomplish Goals For At-Sea Demonstration Of Maritime Laser Scientists Build World's First Anti-Laser Yale scientists build 'anti-laser'