• Chinook Helicopter is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform.
• It is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment, and fuel.
• It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.
• It has the capability to ferry heavy cargo like road construction equipment over difficult terrain. It can carry around 10 tonnes of load
• These helicopters manufactured by Boeing who perform a variety of tasks in support of Army operations.

Chinook Helicopter and IAF

• In 2015, India had signed a 3-billion-dollar deal with the US for the purchase of 15 Chinook heavy lift and 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
• In 2019, it was inducted into the Indian Air Force. IAF operates a fleet of 15 Chinook Helicopters.
• One Helicopter Unit of Chinooks is based in Chandigarh while the other is based at Mohanbari airbase in Assam.
• It has not grounded them as it awaits more word on the US development.

Latest News

• 02 September 2022: The US Army has grounded its fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters after finding the helicopter to be at risk of engine fires.

Sources

1. Indian Express