The Ridley Park Boeing production could be curtailed, with the plant forced to shut down two main assembly lines unless it can increase orders of Chinook helicopters, writes Joseph N. DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The plant is producing Chinook CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters at a rate of 20 a year, from 60 in 2021 and 2022, according to Heather McBryan, Boeing’s vice president who heads that program.

That is about the “minimum sustainable rate” to stay open, McBryan said.

Plant workers have dropped from 13,000, when it built the first generation of Chinooks for the Vietnam War, to about 4,100 today.

“I wouldn’t say the industrial base is comfortable” at that minimal level of production, McBryan said.

Ridley Park Boeing production is relying on smaller orders from U.S. Special Forces and from Germany and other U.S. allies but much will depend on whether the U.S. Army wants to fully modernize its 470 Chinooks. That decision is expected at the end of the year.

The Ridley Park plant also produces the V-22 Osprey, with 36 slated to be built, keeping that line open for another two years.

Boeing is looking at building new unmanned rotorcraft and drones to keep up with technology changes.

Read more about Boeing’s slowdown in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Boeing reveals new aircraft in development.