As it stands, there is technically no official replacement for the Boeing CH-47 yet under US Army development. Significant progress on the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk’s successor has taken place in recent years, however. That is the Bell V-280 Valor, a tiltrotor under development that has key differences from its older cousin, Bell-Boeing’s V-22 Osprey.

The lack of a direct successor for the heavy-duty whirlybird has led to some speculation that the Army may consolidate its fleet, with the backbone model being the Valor (officially designated MV-25). Concerns about the CH-47F’s survivability in contested airspace and vast domains like the Pacific lend credence to the possibility of a total phase-out.

The Chinook’s unrivaled heavy-lift capability and outstanding track record make it a favorite with the special forces communities of the US Department of Defense. The Army’s Chinook fleet numbers more than 470 aircraft and is expected to serve as the primary heavy-lift rotorcraft for many more years to come.

Chinooks In 2030 & Beyond

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Debuting in 1961, the Chinook has never been toppled as the apex of tandem-rotor helos. The soviets experimented with tandem-rotor designs, but favored different configurations for heavy lift. Even the US Navy and Marines’ CH-46 has been retired for a decade. The Chinook is still being modernized as the Block II variant offers a gross weight increase of 54,000 pounds, upgraded fuel systems, and rotor blades.

Honeywell has developed the new T55-714C, with 20% more power and 8% better fuel efficiency than previous powerplants. Vertical Mag quoted General John Murray in 2021, saying that no replacement had been planned yet, and the Chinook remains a critical asset for Army Special Forces, among other missions:

“The Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft and the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft are the two plans, programs we have working right now. There is nothing working for a replacement for the CH-47.”

The first CH-47F Block II Chinooks reached the Army in 2024, and the first of a scheduled 465 helicopters was delivered in July of that year, according to World of Aviation. Some compare the CH-47 to the equally enduring B-52, for being so good at what it does that there simply is no replacement. Perhaps it will soldier on into the distant future, but let’s explore the latest challenger and if it has what it takes to fill the Chinooks’ place on the flightline.

Future Long Range Assault Attack

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The Army’s Future Vertical Lift program sought to develop the Future Long Range Assault Attack, or FLRAA. The winning platform was Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor. The new aircraft will initially supplement the UH-60 Black Hawk fleet but will likely replace the aging Sikorsky completely over time.

Although the V-280 is cut from the same cloth as the Bell-Boeing Osprey, engineers have implemented key differences from the start. Aside from a smaller overall footprint, the V-280 uses a V-tail configuration rather than the V-22’s twin vertical fin tail. While the V-22’s nacelles, which house both the engine and gearbox, fully rotate, only the V-280’s props and gearbox move while the engines remain fixed during transition between flight modes.

The V-280 also features a different clutch to the V-22’s problematic design, as it operates more like a conventional helicopter. The Osprey’s transmission has been linked to fatal hard-clutch engagements on more than one occasion and requires somewhere in the ballpark of 45 days to replace, according to Military.com.

Introducing Bell’s Valor V-280

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The Bell V-280 Valor is a next-generation tiltrotor aircraft developed specifically by Bell-Textron for the US Army’s FLRAA program. The V-280’s defining feature is its ability to transition between helicopter-like vertical flight and airplane-like forward flight by tilting its rotors and drive shafts. It offers significant improvements in speed, range, and maneuverability over the UH-60, allowing vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter while providing speed and range comparable to a fixed-wing aircraft.

Flying as fast as 300 knots, the Valor is almost twice as fast as the Chinook, which tops out at 170 knots. The Valor also surpasses the Chinook in range by a long shot. Under combat load, the CH-47 can only go about 400 NM, while the V-280 can fly 800 NM on a single fill-up without any aerial refueling.

Valor can perform fast-rope, sling-loading like the UH-60 or CH-47, but armament has yet to be publicly revealed. A key area where it falls short of the CH-47 is, inevitably, raw payload. The V-280, or MV-25 as it recently became designated, has under half the sling-load capacity at 10,000 lbs compared to the Chinook’s 26,000 lbs. The Valor can’t compete with the Chinook in weight or volume capacity, which is the crux of the issue when it comes to replacing the venerable CH-47.

The MV-25 By The Numbers

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Like its Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey predecessor, Valor’s tiltrotor design is a radical departure from conventional rotorcraft. The MV-25 is equipped with two Rolls-Royce AE 1107F engines, which are of the same powerplant family as used in the C-130 Hercules, Global Hawk drone, and V-22 Osprey.

The V-280 gearbox design has been refined from the V-22’s design with a simpler, lighter, and more easily maintainable design. This new system eliminates the need for a mid-wing gearbox, which cuts the total number of gearboxes from five to four, versus the Osprey. The design allows for a straight wing design that reduces complexity and eliminates a number of failure points.

The V-280’s stationary engines result in weight savings, thanks to fewer parts, and the lower empty weight also allows for better performance and fuel efficiency. Its simplified mechanical system also improves reliability and maintenance, reducing the notoriously long downtime seen with the Osprey as well as operational costs overall. The Valor is superior to the Chinook in the area of efficiency, and likely around the same level of complexity. Still, the question of operation costs and maintenance intensity remains unclear.

The Strategic Need For The MV-25

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The MV-25 has the potential to revolutionize US military operations, particularly in the Pacific. There, its speed, range, and survivability are greatly superior to the CH-47 in long-range air assault missions. Its ability to take off and land vertically like a helicopter and transition to airplane-like flight profiles allows for rapid deployment and maneuverability that the Chinook can’t match in the vast, island-dotted Pacific. This would be particularly important in any potential conflict with China.

Here, long distances and limited infrastructure are major challenges for any conventional rotorcraft. The Valor greatly exceeds the capabilities of the Black Hawk in this scenario. It will enable the Army to project power across greater distances in the Pacific, like the South China Sea, more quickly and efficiently. The MV-25 can operate from austere locations like its predecessors, and its long range can overcome logistical challenges in the vast and dispersed island chains of the Pacific.

Improved survivability features make it more difficult for adversaries to target. The primary strength is speed, but it also features radar cross-section reduction and infrared suppression to minimize its detectability. In potential conflicts with near-peer adversaries with advanced air defenses, the Valor will significantly improve the survivability of air assault operations. That also allows for more dispersed and decentralized operations over extended distances. That adaptability and flexibility make it a well-suited platform for the Pacific theater.

The Future Of Army Aviation

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The US Army is undergoing a significant transformation in its aviation branch as a whole. The future will prioritize unmanned systems and more long-range crewed platforms. The Valor is one of the top priorities, as it will replace the Black Hawk, which is the current backbone of Army Aviation. The Army is also investing in long-range precision munitions for its aircraft to match its tactics to faster platforms. The Army is rapidly working toward affordable, reliable, and lethal uncrewed aerial systems in the field.

Deploying drone swarms or executing pinpoint strikes from units integrated with drones at the brigade level will evolve the Army’s strategy to the next level. The ‘Replicator’ initiative, headed by the Defense Innovation Unit, aims to field thousands of low-cost, autonomous systems. The new devices would be attritable drones that counter adversary threats as well as provide man-portable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance with strike capability.

In a future of drones at the tip of the spear and tiltrotor workhorses as the backbone of the vertical lift fleet, it’s hard to say if the CH-47 will still have a place. Its raw payload-carrying power has no equal in current or planned platforms, which may see it live on in a way the B-52 has endured. On the other hand, it may simply be unneeded, as tiltrotor technology improves and other aircraft like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Liberty Lifter are introduced.