CH-47 Chinook is the heavy lift we can’t afford to lose

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tom Lasser, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is a Vietnam War veteran and served 40 years in the military, logging more than 3,000 hours in the CH-47 Chinook. 

The rhythmic thump-thump of the Chinook’s tandem rotors is a core memory that has played in my mind since my days as a Chinook aviator during the Vietnam War. In those days, the CH-47 was our lifeline. It carried the ammunition that kept our outposts alive and the reinforcements that turned the tide of battle. Decades later, as a retired pilot with over 6,000 flight hours, I can tell you that while the world has changed, our need for that heavy-lift “workhorse” hasn’t.

Yet, today, we find ourselves at a precarious crossroads. For several years, the U.S. Army has hesitated to make a full commitment to the Block II program. Leadership is working hard to determine the needs of future battles and lean more heavily into unmanned systems and other technologies that reduce risk to human life. It’s an ambitious undertaking, and certainly worthwhile. However, to hesitate on current and near-future needs in favor of technology that isn’t ready for battle would also pose a significant risk to current soldiers, as well as civilians. It would also be a direct obstruction of national defense efforts and our domestic resilience. 

The Chinooks I flew in the 1960s were marvels of engineering, but they cannot survive on the modern battlefield. The threats today, from sophisticated electronic warfare to advanced anti-aircraft systems, require more than just a sturdy airframe. That’s what sets the CH-47F Block II apart. It isn’t just a minor update; it is a critical evolution.

With a redesigned fuel system, a strengthened drivetrain, and the ability to lift an additional 4,000 pounds, the Block II successfully performs critical missions that previous models of the Chinook could not even attempt. 

Beyond the battlefield, the Chinook is an indispensable tool for domestic disaster response. During my decades-long service in the California National Guard, I saw firsthand how this aircraft serves as a first responder of the skies. When wildfires ravage our West Coast or hurricanes devastate our shorelines, the Chinook is often the only platform capable of delivering massive amounts of food, water and medical supplies to isolated communities.

We cannot wait for a crisis to realize our fleet is aging. The CH-47F Block II’s digital backbone allows it to integrate emerging technologies like Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) sensors. This means pilots can fly safely through thick smoke or torrential rain; conditions where older models might be grounded. For a family waiting on a rooftop for rescue, those technological leaps are a matter of life and death.

The current strategy of relying on foreign military sales to keep the production line alive, as the Army starts and stops its procurement requests, is a recipe for disaster. An inconsistent demand will likely lead to key suppliers exiting the marketplace, leading to severe readiness issues for the Army and an erosion of our defense industrial base. 

Lawmakers and veterans alike are right to be concerned when funding is cut to fill other holes in the budget, hoping Congress will backstop the program later. Our allies are already investing in the Block II because they recognize its unique value. A sustained commitment to the Chinook’s production and modernization from the Army would signal to additional foreign partners that the Army believes in this American-made helicopter, and so should they. 

The Chinook is an innovative, effective and iconic piece of military machinery. It’s the strongest and safest heavy-lift helicopter in the world. With its latest upgrade to the Block II formation, it’s formidable as well as functional. It’s a system that the Army can’t do without both in foreign and domestic capacities. 

The leadership of today owes it to the aviators of tomorrow – and the citizens they will protect – to ensure that when the call for help comes, the thump-thump of the Chinook is there to answer it.