IAF Chinook completes the longest non-stop helicopter sortie in India, sets a record

New Delhi: The heavy-lift transport helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF), CH-47F (I) Chinook has set a record of completing the longest non-stop helicopter sortie in India. It undertook the non-stop sortie between Chandigarh and Jorhat in Assam, and covered a total distance of 1,910 kilometres.

The Indian Air Force said in a tweet that Chinook completed the sortie in 7 hours and 30 minutes.

It said, "The sortie was possible because of the capabilities of the Chinook along with operational planning and execution by IAF."

"Chinook is a multirole, vertical-lift platform, used for transporting men and material. It also plays an important role in Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations. Rapid mobility will allow the Indian Air Force to employ this asset optimally as required," it added.

The Chinook carries goods and cargo weighing up to 9.6 tonnes, and can include men and machines such as artillery guns and light armoured vehicles. Chinook is used for operations in the Himalayan region, particularly in Ladakh. It also has the capability to ferry heavy cargo like road construction equipment over difficult terrain.

In 2020, Boeing completed the delivery of 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters to the Indian Air Force.

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