US Special Operations Command has awarded Boeing an $877.7-million contract to produce additional MH-47G helicopters, further expanding the command’s fleet of heavy-lift, special-operations rotorcraft. The effort will run through late 2030, with production centered at Boeing’s Ridley Park facility.This follows a March order for five MH-47Gs valued at $240 million, with deliveries beginning in 2027 and raising the overall procurement count to 51. The MH-47G is engineered for demanding missions requiring long-range insertion, extraction, and logistical support in contested environments.Built on the robust CH-47 Chinook airframe, the platform integrates state-of-the-art avionics, aerial refueling capability, mission-tailored payloads, and enhanced navigation systems. The helicopter supports a crew of five and can transport up to 30 personnel or substantial cargo loads internally or externally.For combat operations, it can be equipped with machine guns, advanced countermeasures, and laser detection systems. Its twin Honeywell engines deliver high performance at altitude, enabling speeds of 170 knots and operational ceilings of 20,000 feet.
