The Black Hawk and Chinook are built for different Army aviation jobs: the UH-60 is a utility transport, while the CH-47F is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter. The Army lists the CH-47F at 160 knots maximum cruise speed and gives it substantially higher cargo-lift figures, but the available Army fact sheets do not provide comparable numeric speed or payload figures for a current UH-60M. The best comparison is therefore by mission and variant-specific published figures—not a simple, condition-matched contest.
What is the difference between a Black Hawk and a Chinook?
The U.S. Army describes the Black Hawk (UH-60) as its utility tactical transport helicopter. Its missions include air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control, and special operations support. The CH-47F, by contrast, is the Army’s only heavy-lift cargo helicopter, used in combat and non-combat operations.
In practical terms, the Black Hawk is suited to moving troops and supporting varied utility missions; the Chinook is designed to move heavier cargo and larger groups. Their roles overlap in some support tasks, but they are not interchangeable aircraft with a single shared payload or passenger measure.
Which is faster, a Black Hawk or a Chinook?
The U.S. Army’s November 4, 2014 CH-47F fact sheet lists a maximum cruise speed of 160 knots. The Army’s Black Hawk fact sheet, also dated November 4, 2014, says later UH-60 variants improved on earlier ones but does not state a numeric UH-60M speed. It says the UH-60L improved over the UH-60A in cruise speed and climb rate, and that the UH-60M improved over the A/L in cruising speed and climb rate.
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Those publications do not establish which aircraft is faster in a condition-matched comparison. The 160-knot figure applies to the CH-47F, while a corresponding numeric UH-60M figure is not given in the cited Army material. Speed also depends on the specific variant and flight conditions, so the published figures should not be treated as a direct race result.
How much can a Chinook carry?
CH-47F internal and intra-theater payload
The Army’s 2014 CH-47F fact sheet says the aircraft can lift intra-theater payloads up to 16,000 pounds in high/hot environments. This describes a payload under the stated operating conditions; it is not an unrestricted load for every mission or environment. The same fact sheet lists a maximum gross weight of 50,000 pounds for the CH-47F.
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CH-47F external sling loads
The Army lists different sling-load capacities by hook configuration. They are separate ratings, not one general payload number:
| CH-47F configuration | Army-listed capacity |
|---|---|
| Center hook | 26,000 pounds |
| Forward or aft hook | 17,000 pounds |
| Tandem | 25,000 pounds |
Do not compare these external-load ratings directly with an internal payload figure: they describe different ways of carrying cargo.
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What about CH-47F Block II?
A 2024 U.S. Army account of the Block II program reports a maximum gross weight increase to 54,000 pounds, along with greater reach and increased payload capacity. That is a Block II program figure and should not be merged with the 50,000-pound maximum gross weight listed for the CH-47F in the Army’s 2014 fact sheet. The figures refer to distinct contexts, not a single universal CH-47F specification.
How much can a Black Hawk carry?
The Army’s 2014 Black Hawk fact sheet says the UH-60M has a greater internal load than the UH-60A/L, and that the UH-60L has greater external-load capability than the UH-60A. It does not provide numeric payload ratings on that page. As a result, those statements establish relative improvements within the Black Hawk family, not a numeric Black Hawk-versus-Chinook payload comparison.
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How many people can each helicopter carry?
People capacity depends on whether the mission is troop transport or casualty evacuation. The Army’s 2014 fact sheets provide different measures for the two aircraft:
| Aircraft and measure | Army-listed capacity |
|---|---|
| Black Hawk troop transport | One 11-person fully equipped infantry squad |
| CH-47F troop transport | 33 troops plus a three-person crew |
| CH-47F litter positions | 24 |
The Black Hawk’s 11-person figure describes a squad, while the Chinook’s 24-litter figure describes a medical-evacuation configuration. They are not equivalent passenger counts.
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How do their medical and support missions differ?
The Army identifies HH-60L and HH-60M Black Hawks as medical evacuation versions equipped with integrated MEDEVAC mission packages for casualty evacuation in day, night, and adverse-weather conditions. Aeromedical evacuation is also among the UH-60’s listed missions.
The CH-47F’s primary distinction remains heavy lift, but the Army also identifies secondary missions including medical evacuation, search and rescue, parachute drops, disaster relief, and aircraft recovery. A 2024 Army account describes Chinooks ferrying troops and cargo between training areas and forward bases and supporting bridge-building training—examples of the aircraft’s broader combat and non-combat utility.
Which helicopter is the better fit?
- For utility transport, air assault, and dedicated Army MEDEVAC variants: the Black Hawk family is the relevant aircraft, with the specific UH-60 or HH-60 variant depending on the task.
- For heavy cargo and larger troop loads: the CH-47F is the Army’s heavy-lift option, with payload and sling-load capacities tied to configuration and operating conditions.
- For a numeric speed or payload verdict: the cited Army pages are not enough to make a current, condition-matched comparison. They give a CH-47F cruise-speed figure but no numeric UH-60M speed or Black Hawk payload rating.
The Army fact sheets cited here were published in 2014; their program-status text should not be read as current fleet or acquisition status. The 2024 Block II account is specific to that program and does not replace the older CH-47F fact-sheet specifications.
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