The First Combat Deployment of the CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter

The CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter program began with a much different product than the one ultimately fielded in July 2007. The program was able to capitalize on a Department of Defense priorities shift that resulted in a delay in production of the CH-47F. The delay in production coupled with the cancellation of the RAH-66 Comanche program allowed the Product Manager to integrate the Common Avionics Architecture System, Digital Automatic Flight Control System, and monolithic machined airframes into the development of the CH-47F. Due to technical challenges and flight test delays, the Cargo Helicopters Product Manager made the decision to proceed with Operational Test and first unit fielding without the coupled flight director. The second unit equipped, the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, was slated to be the first unit to deploy the CH-47F into combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first deployment of the CH-47F has been very successful. This paper documents the history of the CH-47F program from its early days to the first six months of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division deployment to include some of the tactics, techniques, and procedures that are being utilized to take advantage of the increased capabilities of the CH-47F.