How many total patients can a CH-47 Chinook accommodate?

The CH-47 Chinook is a versatile military transport helicopter designed for medical evacuation among other roles. In the context of patient transport, it has specific configurations for how many patients it can accommodate.

The correct answer indicates that the Chinook can hold 24 litter patients and 31 ambulatory patients. This configuration allows the helicopter to effectively maximize its capacity for both stretcher-bound patients and those who are able to sit up and move around, which can be crucial in medical evacuation scenarios.

The 24 litter configuration refers to the helicopter's capacity to safely secure and transport patients who are unable to move on their own, while the ambulatory capacity of 31 allows for patients who can walk or require less intensive care. The ability to combine these two types of patient accommodations is significant for military operations, where a higher number of patients can be managed efficiently in combat or emergency situations.

This configuration also reflects the design of the Chinook, which prioritizes maximizing space and versatility to adapt to various mission needs, including delivering aid during mass casualty incidents. The other choices reflect lesser capacities, which would not be the case for the Chinook in its intended usage as a transport and evacuation asset.