Boeing will supply an advanced flight-control augmentation system for US Special Operations Command’s MH-47G Block II Chinook fleet under a $55.4-million contract. The firm-fixed-price award covers the Active Parallel Actuator System and associated equipment, with completion expected by August 2033. APAS was developed jointly by Boeing and BAE Systems to make challenging helicopter operations safer and easier for pilots. It interfaces with the Chinook’s Digital Automatic Flight Control System and provides physical feedback through conventional flight controls. By giving pilots tactile indications as the aircraft approaches its operational limits, the technology can help crews operate closer to the edge of the flight envelope while maintaining control and situational awareness. Boeing began integrating APAS into its production line earlier in the year, installing it on a UK Extended Range Chinook in February and moving it into standard production two months later. The MH-47G Block II was identified as the first Chinook configuration to receive APAS as standard equipment. The special-operations helicopter is flown by the Army’s 160th SOAR, widely known as the Night Stalkers, and is optimized for long-distance, low-level missions. Its equipment includes terrain-following radar, aerial refueling systems, advanced navigation technology, and extended-range fuel tanks.
