Boeing Concept Turns The Chinook Into A Drone Swarm Controller For Airborne Warfare

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is the workhorse of the U.S. military and has been around in one form or another since 1961. This elongated helicopter is designed to haul cargo and troops, as well as aid in evacuations and disaster relief, and we might soon add drone warfare to that list.

Recently, Boeing released a concept video parading its idea for the future of CH-47F Chinook helicopters. The video (which honestly looks like a video game cutscene) lists systems and capabilities the company plans to implement into the Chinook environment, the most noteworthy of which is a drone deployment system. Going by the video, the drones would be stored in the helicopter's fuselage, launch out the back like missiles, and deploy a safe distance away. Since they would need an unobstructed path to launch, Chinook helicopters wouldn't be able to carry both these drones and general cargo — instead, a Chinook with the drones would fly out in front and lead the pack. Think of the system like the Amazon-style "marketplaces" soldiers are using to deploy drones on battlefields.

While the term "drone swarm controller" might inspire images of UAV swarms that overwhelm aircraft carriers, the drones portrayed in the video are classified as recon vehicles. These drones are meant to scout ahead and report potential threats. Chinooks aren't exactly known for their effectiveness in combat, so the drones would help pilots find the safest route to their destinations. However, don't be surprised if Boeing adds bona fide assault drones to the Chinook's arsenal in the future.

While Boeing CH-47F Chinooks are essential to many military operations, they are huge targets — figuratively and literally. Enemy combatants can shoot down Chinooks to prevent supplies from reaching soldiers (and possibly to claim the equipment for themselves), and pilots are in danger when flying in certain territories, drones or no. Unless a Chinook doesn't need pilots.

The concept video also previews a potential "uncrew" mode where the helicopter would be able to autonomously fly to preselected waypoints. As the video touts when offering a glimpse at the Chinook's upcoming "reduced crew" capabilities, the uncrew mode would tie into that and let everyone disembark, including the pilots. Admittedly, the concept video doesn't explain this function (it's just a bunch of CGI images with zero narration), but uncrew mode could be a potential lifesaver if soldiers need an extraction and there aren't enough pilots to go around.

Boeing didn't share a potential rollout timeline for the aforementioned features. In fact, the video is more of a proposal than a promise, but don't be surprised if we one day see recon drones launching out of autonomous Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Of course, such drones would require powerful capabilities to make sure they aren't shot down by anti-aircraft lasers or fooled by high-tech cloaks that block thermal signatures. Then again, any finalized proposal worth its salt would outline such defenses.