In a primary for the Marine Corps, Marines from Marine Operational Take a look at & Analysis Squadron One (VMX-1) performed over-the-horizon heavy carry and troop transport ship-to-shore operations aboard CH-53K King Stallions over the Atlantic Ocean, November 19-21. These workouts are a vital element of the Marine Corps’ future pressure working ideas, corresponding to expeditionary superior base operations and distributed operations. VMX-1 is evaluating the King Stallion’s capability to satisfy program specification for the over-the-horizon heavy carry evolution examined the King Stallion’s functionality to move a 27,000 lbs. mild armored automobile (LAV-25) from the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) to a touchdown zone ashore. Whereas the troop transport evolution evaluated the King Stallion’s capability to maneuver troops over-the-horizon to a location ashore and return to ship with out refueling—masking as a lot as 220 nautical miles on their roundtrip.
“We have now essentially the most skilled and succesful people sustaining the plane and are additionally appreciative to the Blue-Inexperienced Staff, who reveal the very good capability to working harmoniously,” mentioned VMX-1 CH-53K Detachment Operations Officer Maj. Joshua Banks.
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“We’re excited to proceed advancing the Commandant’s imaginative and prescient of the long run pressure by partnering with the Navy and discovering methods to optimize how we function and thrive in a strategic competitors surroundings,” mentioned VMX-1 Commanding Officer Col. Byron Sullivan. “We stay the nation’s naval expeditionary pressure; able to battle in any clime or place at any time.”
Fight Logistics Battalion 24 (CLB-24) from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina offered personnel and tools to help VMX-1 with their testing, and sailors from the united statesIwo Jima assisted VMX-1 with shipboard and flight deck operations. The Marine Corps is progressing by way of preliminary operational check and analysis (IOT&E) of the CH-53Ks previous to fielding them to the Fleet Marine Drive. The pilots, maintainers, and contractors of VMX-1, the squadron tasked with conducting operational check and analysis of Marine Corps aviation platforms and techniques, play a big function in shaping the ways, methods and procedures of CH-53K utilization. Moreover, VMX-1 personnel will put the plane by way of rigorous evaluations with a view to decide its suitability and effectiveness earlier than arriving to the fleet.
The Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter presently being produced by Sikorsky Plane for the USA Marine Corps (USMC). It’s going to function a brand new digital glass cockpit with fly-by-wire controls and haptic suggestions, HUMS, a brand new elastomeric hub system, and composite rotor blades to enhance “scorching and excessive” efficiency. The break up torque gearbox with quill shafts began improvement round 2007.The design options three 7,500 shp (5,590 kW) engines, new composite rotor blades, and a wider plane cabin than earlier CH-53 variants. Will probably be the most important and heaviest helicopter within the U.S. navy. The USMC plans to obtain 200 helicopters at a complete value of $25 billion. Floor Take a look at Automobile (GTV) testing began in April 2014; flight testing started with the maiden flight on 27 October 2015. In Could 2018, the primary CH-53K was delivered to the Marine Corps. The CH-53K is to surpass the aptitude of its predessor by carrying almost 30% greater than the CH-53E’s exterior payload of 27,000 lb (12,200 kg) over the identical radius of 110 nmi (204 km). The CH-53K’s most gross weight might be 88,000 lb (39,900 kg), which is elevated over the CH-53E’s 73,500 lb (33,300 kg).
