Army to rely on FMS, reinvesting to ensure helicopter manufacturers stay ‘healthy’
Army senior leaders, including Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, emphasized reliance on foreign military sales (FMS) and reinvestment to sustain production of Apache, Blackhawk, and Chinook helicopters amid declining procurement funding. Recent FMS contracts include 96 Apaches to Poland and 60 Chinooks to Germany, with a significant deal to Greece for Blackhawks valued over $1 billion.
Boeing lands Chinook without a pilot at the controls
Boeing successfully landed a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook autonomously, showcasing the Army's commitment to autonomous aircraft. Utilizing Boeing's A2X software, the Chinook executed its final approach and landing with pre-set parameters. This capability aims to reduce pilot workload, allowing crews to focus on mission-critical tasks, while the Army continues to develop its future long-range assault aircraft, the MV-75 Cheyenne II.