New $877M Contract for Boeing MH-47G Special Forces Chinook

Helis, December 01, 2025 - Boeing has received a $877.7 million firm-fixed-price order to produce an undisclosed number of additional MH-47G special-operations helicopters for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

The contract covers the procurement of new-build MH-47G rotary-wing aircraft, with the majority of manufacturing and integration work to take place at Boeing’s facility in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.

Deliveries are scheduled to run through November 2030, supporting USSOCOM’s long-term modernization of its heavy-lift fleet. U.S. Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, serves as the contracting authority.

Boeing MH-47G Chinook

The MH-47G Chinook is the latest and most advanced special-operations variant of the Boeing CH-47 series, developed for U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC). Its lineage traces back to the MH-47D/E models of the 1980s–1990s, which were modified to support long-range infiltration missions during the Cold War and later modernized for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The “G” model, introduced in the mid-2000s, incorporates a new digital cockpit, improved avionics, extended-range fuel tanks, air-to-air refuelling capability, and an upgraded airframe designed to handle high altitudes and extreme environments. It remains one of the most capable heavy-lift helicopters ever built for special operations.

In current U.S. service, the MH-47G is operated exclusively by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) — the “Night Stalkers.” Its primary roles include covert infiltration/exfiltration, long-range personnel and cargo transport, aerial refuelling support for other rotary-wing assets, and high-risk special-operations missions that require heavy lift and precise navigation under night-vision conditions.

The aircraft’s combination of range, payload and survivability makes it a critical asset for U.S. and allied special forces, often supporting Tier 1 units in global counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and strategic raiding missions.

Defense contract

War Department, November 20 - The Boeing Co., Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $877,742,891 firm-fixed-price delivery order (W9121516G0001 and H9224122F0073) for procurement of MH-47G rotary wing aircraft in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Most of the work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by November 2030. U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.