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HelicoptersIn service
Transport helicopter
Boeing Chinook (UK variants) is a transport helicopter. It was built by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Reported operators include Royal Air Force.
United StatesTransport helicopter
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Boeing-Vertol
In service
Royal Air Force
72 (all RAF models)
22 November 1980 (with RAF)
23 March 1980 (HC1)
Boeing CH-47 Chinook
HC1, HC1B, HC2, HC3, HC4, HC5, HC6, HC6A, HC7
4 (pilot, copilot, two weapon system operators/loadmasters)
55 soldiers and up to 10 tonnes of freight or equipment
98 ft 9 in (30.10 m)
18 ft 8 in (5.69 m)
22,450 lb (10,183 kg)
26,680 lb (12,102 kg)
50,000 lb (22,680 kg)
2 × Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft free-turbine engines, 3,750 shp (2,800 kW) each
2 × 60 ft 0 in (18.29 m)
160 kn (180 mph, 300 km/h)
1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) with auxiliary fuel tanks
15,000 ft (4,600 m)
1,980 ft/min (10.1 m/s)Thrust 2x 4,168shp each engine
2× M134 Miniguns and 1× M60 machine gun
5,655.2 sq ft (525.39 m 2 )
- root: Boeing VR-7; tip: Boeing VR-8
Glass cockpit with a BAE Systems Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS), includes automatic modes such as auto-hover and auto-descend to ease pilot workload.
Electro-Optical Sensor Turret (EOST) with two infrared cameras and a low-light TV function .
Missile Warning Receiver, Infrared Warning Receiver, Radar Warning Receiver, Counter-measure dispensing system (flares).
Boeing Chinook United States Rotorcraft Transport 1980 36 50 All HC.Mk 6A variants being withdrawn from service; 14 CH-47-ER variants being delivered from 2027; overall operational numbers to stabilize at c. 36 helicopters
Powerplant Two Honeywell 55-L-714A Free-Turbine engines
Thrust 4,168shp each
Length 30.14m
Height 5.77m
Rotor 18.29m
Maximum speed 160kt
Maximum altitude 15,000ft
Aircrew 2 Pilots, 2 Weapon System Operators
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Sept 2026 | 30.14 m | United Kingdom Armed Forces | superseded |
| 29 Sept 2026 | 30.14 m | United Kingdom Armed Forces | approved |
Guns 2 x M134 Miniguns, 1 x M60 Machine Gun
Electro optics EOST turret including two infrared cameras and a low-light TV function
Boeing Chinook (UK variants) equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
United KingdomTotal reported rotary-wing holdings of the named platforms, including aircraft outside the effective forward fleet. Not an active-only or readiness count. Platforms included: Chinook.
Reported count for Boeing Chinook. Service scope: Royal Air Force; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct quantity component(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Explicit source inventory scope: active; no other stock status or total inferred. Count column(s): in service: 36. Origin: United States. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2025), not the article revision. Cited source 2025-10-30. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.