Boeing has presented the CH-47 Chinook to the US Air Force as a candidate for the Personnel Recovery Vehicle (PRV) programme, injecting a heavylift vehicle into a competition previously divided between two medium-lift helicopters and a tiltrotor.
The move also could stoke internal rivalry with Bell Helicopter, Boeing's partner on the V-22 Osprey programme. The Bell Boeing joint venture intends to offer the CV-22 tiltrotor in the PRV competition, which also includes Sikorsky's S-92 and the Lockheed Martin/AgustaWestland/Bell US101.
Boeing met the USAF's PRV programme office in late April to brief it on the capabilities of the CH-47 as a potential combat search-and-rescue platform, says Lt Col Pat Bolibrzuch, PRV programme manager, who adds that the Chinook is a competitive product. "When you look at the four candidates, each of them actually has some area that's better than the next guy."
Boeing has not officially committed to join the programme, and although Bolibrzuch says he considers the Chinook a candidate, this will be confirmed only if Boeing submits a bid when the competitive phase begins. This is expected to start in July, but the schedule could be delayed by a growing bottleneck in approvals for USAF acquisition programmes.
The USAF is looking to replace about 103 Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters through the PRV project, which has grown from 132 to 141 aircraft. A follow-on order for 60 more aircraft to patrol the air force's widely dispersed missile launch sites is also anticipated.
The original PRV acquisition strategy called for a split order, with half of the fleet to be a conventional aircraft and the rest a new airframe offering radical improvements in speed and lift. Now, the USAF plans to buy one aircraft type in two configurations. Stephen TRIMBLE/WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
