One down, 16 to go as Spain receives first remanufactured Chinook
Remanufactured CH-47 Chinook aircraft for the Spanish Army, pictured during its first flight. (Photo: Boeing)
Spain is part of a European trend to modernise CH-47 Chinooks.
The Spanish Army has taken delivery of the first of 17 remanufactured CH-47 Chinook helicopters in a ceremony held at Spanish Army Airmobile Forces HQ in Colmenar Viejo, Madrid.
Boeing noted on 2 February that the entire Spanish CH-47D Chinook fleet is being upgraded to the CH-47F standard with a digital automatic flight control system, common avionics architecture system and advanced cargo handling.
The result is a helicopter that satisfies the modernisation requirements of the Spanish Army while also meeting its need for increased operational capacity and interoperability with allied nations, Boeing added.
Shephard reported in January 2022 that the Spanish CH-47Fs will be equipped with the InWarner sensor and other EW defence systems from Indra Sistemas.
In September 2018, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the award of a contract worth approximately $966 million to modernise the Chinook fleet to the CH-47F configuration.
The upgrade is planned for completion by 2025.
Other European militaries are going down a similar path; for example, the Netherlands recently retired its last CH-47D Chinook in favour of the F-model configuration, while the UK purchased additional aircraft to upgrade its fleet.
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