Day or night, no enemy out of sight: Why IAF’s new Chinook heavy-lift twin-rotor helicopter is a 'game-changer'

The Chinook is one of the key workhorses of the US military, and is manufactured by American aviation giant Boeing. It first entered service in 1962, a whopping 57 years ago. Of course, over this period of time, it has undergone multiple upgrades and redesigns. The military versions of the Chinook can be mounted with three machine guns. It is among the most common transport helicopters for US army personnel

The Chinook is arguably the most-recognisable twin-rotor helicopters in the world. It has featured in a number of viral videos over the years for its ability to pull off something called a 'pinnacle manoeuvre' in which it can allow people to land or board on a surface without actually landing. This feature has made it a favourite in avalanche, flood and fire rescue mission, apart from the obvious military uses.

The Chinook played a role in every major military action by the US since its induction in 1962. This has seen it deployed in the Vietnam War, Korea, 1991 Gulf War, and the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was also part of the overall fleet of aircraft that were part of Operation Neptune Spear, the US air raid on Pakistani territory that killed terrorist Osama bin Laden.

The Chinook operates with a crew of at least three - pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer or a loadmaster. It has a dry weight of about 11 tonnes and a maximum takeoff weight of 22.6 tonnes. It is considered a heavy lift helicopter, and has the ability to lift close to 11 tonnes of cargo. It ranks third in the world when it comes to the total weight lift capability for helicopters. Only the Russian Mil Mi-26 (25 tonnes, already in service with the IAF) and the US-made Sikorsky Ch-53K King Stallion (16 tonnes) can carry more weight than the Chinook.

The Chinook has a top speed of 315 kmph with a cruise speed close to 300 kmph. It has a ferry range of over 2,200 km and can operate at a maximum altitude of 20,000 ft. It is 15.85 meters long (without rotors) and 3.78 meters wide.

India signed the deal for the purchase of 15 Chinooks in 2015 directly with Boeing. It also signed a deal to purchase 22 Apache attack helicopters in a hybrid deal that also involved the US government. The total cost of the deal was $3 billion, or about Rs 198 crore. The deal also has an offset clause that is expected to bring in about $1 billion worth of contracts for the Indian defence sector.

The first Chinook was delivered to the IAF on February 10 at Mundra Port in Gujarat. The variant that India is getting is the CH-47F (I), with the 'I' indicating a configuration specific to Indian needs. The Indian variant comes equipped with a fully integrated digital cockpit management system.