The Army Needs To Rethink Its Opposition to Upgrading the Chinook Helicopter (From RealClearDefense)

The U.S. Army has no plan to replace its CH-47F Chinook. The heavy-lift helicopter is  expected to remain in the active fleet for another four decades. Any yet, for some inexplicable reason, Army leaders decided not to proceed with upgrades that the service had already paid to develop. Without those “Block II” upgrades it has no way of lifting either its light howitzer or the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle replacement of the Humvee on future battlefields. Congress doesn’t think much of plans to kill the upgrades. Every year, the Army tries to take the money away and Congress puts it back. Rather that continuing to waste political capital in this hapless quest, perhaps the Army should just accept the gift that Congress insists on bestowing. It would be better prepared for future combat if it did. I have written a commentary for Real Clear Defense here.