The Turkish Land Forces have considerable experience in air-mobile operations with helicopters. In internal security operations and Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations in Syria, helicopters have remained an important element of operations by lowering special troops to steep areas and behind the enemy forces with these air-mobile operations. They performed key tasks in the transportation of land units, supply of materials and other requirements in the southeastern border regions with mountains and difficult geographical conditions. Provision for the heavy transport helicopter activities of Turkish Army Aviation, that emerged while fulfilling these important tasks, dates back to the early 1990s. Although the importance of air transportation and operations, especially in the fight against terrorism and organised internal security operations, have been increasing in a country such as Turkey which is surrounded mostly with mountainous terrain, there were no concrete steps taken in the procurement of helicopters. This was mainly due to political unrest, troubles between countries and many economic crises that Turkey experienced. Even suggestions for the purchase of second hand helicopters came to fore but this sale did not occur due to the absence of approval from the American Congress.
On 30 June 2006, the first concrete step was taken to supply the heavy load helicopter that Defence Industry Executive Committee Land Forces Command required. For this purpose, price proposals were requested for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and Sikorsky CH-53K. After conducting extensive trials, it was decided to opt for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook. Sales approval of the helicopters to be supplied under the Foreign Military Sales was given by the US Congress in December 2009 and negotiations with Boeing started. The approved package included 14 CH-47F Chinook Helicopters, 32 T55-GA-714A turbine engines, 28 AN/ARC-201E Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), 14 AN/APR-39A(V)1 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, ferry services etc with an estimated cost of $1.2 billion. As a result of negotiations, 5 more CH-47 helicopters were ordered by the Defence Industry Executive Committee on 7 January 2015; it was decided that a total of 11 CH-47F Chinook helicopters should be purchased. According to this, 6 of the helicopters were purchased for the Land Forces Command, 4 for Special Forces Command and 1 for Ministry of National Defence.
The strategic and logistics location of the helicopters as the base region was evaluated and it was decided to be Güvercinlik Air Base in the Army Aviation Command in Ankara. Since CH-47F Chinook helicopters are a different class of helicopters compared to other light and medium transport/utility helicopters in the Army Aviation Command fleet, a new maintenance unit and helicopter battalion was created for the operation of these CH-47F helicopters in Ankara. Under the 1st Army Aviation Regiment Ankara, the Heavy Lift Helicopter Battalion was established. The first 3 of the helicopters to be included in the inventory of the Land Forces Command were brought to Izmir Port on 14 July 2016 by ship, the other 3 were brought in November of the same year. The helicopters then flew from Izmir to Güvercinlik Air Base, where they would serve. Thus, the delivery of 6 helicopters to be received by the Army Aviation Command was completed. In August 2018, the helicopter ordered for the Ministry of National Defence to be operated by the Turkish Army Aviation Command joined the inventory. It was planned that CH-47F helicopters of the Special Forces Command would be delivered in mid-2019. Unlike Army Forces helicopters, these helicopters have a fast drop feature under the body.
CH-47F helicopters under Turkish Army Aviation Command, have a crew of 5; 2 pilots, 2 propeller technicians and 1 ramp technician. The session order is 33 troops, but this can be increased up to 55 troops. If necessary, the helicopter can be transformed into a flying hospital as well by housing 24 stretchers. Three machine guns can be mounted on request, two on the right and left windows and one on the ramp. Its maximum mission time is 2 hours and 15 minutes. There are various self-protection systems, such as the Common Missile Warning System, APR-39 Radar Warning Receiver and Infrared Suppression System.
After the CH-47 Chinook helicopters entered the inventory of Turkish Army Aviation Command, many training activities were carried out in coordination with the Turkish Land Forces Commandership's Land Units and other Force Commands.
Text and photos by Onur Kurc & Tayfun Yaşar