In the last days before the Taliban entered Kabul, CH-47 transport helicopters could be seen flying over the capital.
With its excellent maneuverability, the CH-47 helicopter can weave into many extremely complex areas, carry out loading people from the roof or from the top of a hill or mountain, helping the evacuation process to be carried out more quickly. With its unique design, it is the most famous transport helicopter in the world, and even other powers like Russia and China, cannot build and put into use a similar helicopter in large numbers.
Born since the Vietnam War, the CH-47 helicopter was then one of the “characters” that played a key role in the US helicopter war strategy. In theory, the CH-47 only needs a two-man crew, including a pilot and a co-pilot. In the transport mission, this helicopter needs an additional engineer specializing in cargo handling. Depending on the actual situation, the CH-47 helicopter can fly well with only a single pilot. In addition, in real combat missions in hostile areas, this helicopter can have three other positions on the sides and rear, both as a navigator and as a machine gunner.
As a twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter, the Chinook has excellent maneuverability, especially in situations of dropping troops or unloading cargo in extremely difficult positions. This allows the CH-47 helicopter to perform transport missions in a variety of areas with complex terrain, both in nature and in urban environments. In addition, a ceiling of up to 6,100 meters also helps CH-47 operate in many high mountain areas, where conventional helicopters cannot reach.
Since its inception from 1966 to the present, the CH-47 has undergone many upgrades, but overall, these transport helicopters are still not too different from the time they operated in the Vietnam War. The capacity of the CH-47 helicopter is also very respectable, up to a maximum of 55 fully armed soldiers. In the event of an emergency evacuation, the helicopter can accommodate up to 70 people.
The advantages of good maneuverability, superior carrying capacity than any other American helicopter, and above all, large cruise reserve and high ceiling, made the CH-47 the evacuator of every evacuation the United States had to conduct around the world.
