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The Middle East is a long way from Country Table Family Restaurant in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, but for Anthony Daly, both carry significant meaning. The son of restaurateurs about an hour from the Boeing Philadelphia site, he chose a new path as a military officer and engineer — one that brought him to a career at Boeing.

After participating in the U.S. Army program and Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech, a consolidated military training program inside a college campus, Daly joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and enrolled as an aviation officer destined for flight school. This is where he got the first taste of Boeing aircraft. For several years, Daly learned the ins and outs of the AH-64 Apache, becoming an expert on the attack helicopter. However, as fate would have it, the Apache aircraft were all moved to active duty as part of an Army restructuring plan, providing Daly with the opportunity to learn how to fly the CH-47 Chinook. 


Anthony Daly prepares for flight in a Boeing Apache.
(Courtesy Anthony Daly)

“I had always been around the Chinook and was familiar with it,” he said. “Then I got the chance to fly the heavy-lift aircraft.”

After flight school, Daly returned to the Philadelphia area as an engineer while maintaining his status in the Pennsylvania National Guard. After spending some time outside aerospace, an opportunity opened up at Boeing to work on the Chinook F Block II modernization efforts.

“I was really excited to join Boeing and work on the Chinook,” Daly recalled. “I got to operate the thing and design the next generation.”

Daly became an important part of the F Block II design team focusing on the transmission and drivetrain, which are critical components to increasing lift capabilities for the aircraft. As an Army officer he was often tasked with “doing more with less” and he took that mindset into Chinook modernization efforts. Improvements to the drive train would ultimately allow the Army to more easily accomplish its mission and set the stage for future upgrades.

“The fundamental thing about Block II is that it increases capability,” Daly said of the modernization efforts. “The drive train got a lot stronger and allows the aircraft to put a bit more torque and pave the way for a future engine upgrade. From a pilot’s perspective, more torque and more power mean I can lift more and increase speed and range.”

Anthony Daly’s experience as a military officer and engineer led him to a role at Boeing supporting Chinook F Block II modernization efforts. (Courtesy Anthony Daly)

Daly continued to work on F Block II all the while still serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Eventually, in early 2020, he took a leave of absence from Boeing to go on active duty and serve a deployment in the Middle East as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. As a brigade battle Captain and S3-Air for the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, Daly oversaw the planning and day to day execution of all brigade aviation operations in theater. Daly oversaw the planning for all Chinook operations. In total, the deployment saw 121 medivacs, 300 Apache sorties, 750 and 5000 VIP and passenger transports respectively, and over 2 million pounds of cargo moved during the operation. As part of the mission efforts, he also got to support the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the uniquely designed MH-47G Chinook.

“The 160th have very unique needs. They do things that nobody will ever read about or get credit for,” Daly said of the unit. “We worked alongside them and got to see first-hand how they operated their aircraft.” 

Daly ultimately benefited from this experience when he came back to Boeing. After returning from active duty, Daly became a program manager on the Chinook G Block II program supporting special operations modernization efforts. His experience in the field as both an officer and a pilot has paid dividends on the job. 

“As a program manager, I get to take a step back and look at the whole system and what we are doing to meet the customer needs. My background has helped me provide a unique perspective. I can look at things as an operator and serve as a bridge to speak to customer requirements,” said Daly.

Daly’s work will help Boeing continue to meet the evolving needs of its Army and special operations customers. 

“With Block II modernization efforts, the CH-47F and the MH-47G provide our customers with the most advanced heavy-lift aircraft on the market," said Daly. "I am proud to be a part of the team that provides these advanced capabilities to my fellow warfighters." 

By Brett Anker

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