The Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter produced by Sikorsky Plane for america Marine Corps. It’s the largest and heaviest helicopter within the U.S. navy. Demonstrating its superior capabilities within the fleet setting, the CH-53K heavy carry helicopter accomplished Preliminary Operational Take a look at & Analysis check vignettes (IOT&E) paving the way in which for the anticipated declaration by the U.S. Marine Corps of Preliminary Operational Functionality (IOC) later this 12 months and a Full Fee Manufacturing choice in 2023. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin firm, constructed 4 System Demonstration Take a look at Article CH-53K helicopters and delivered them to the Marine Operational Take a look at and Analysis Squadron One (VMX-1), in Jacksonville, North Carolina, to help the seven-month analysis, which concluded in March. The Marine Corps plans to obtain 200 helicopters at a complete price of $25 billion.
The completion of IOT&E testing follows a number of CH-53K program markers together with:
Day and night time time air-to-air refueling
Air-to-air refueling with 27,000 lb. exterior load
Sea trials with over 350 landings
Supply of first six manufacturing plane
The CH-53K program is on observe to realize Preliminary Operational Functionality (IOC) in 2022. IOC is achieved when the primary squadron receives: 4 CH-53K helicopters with the required personnel suitably educated and authorized, and
Major and help tools and technical publications, together with preliminary spares with interim restore help and preliminary coaching curricula, are in place and able to deploy in accordance with U.S. Marine Corps requirements.
Commercial
“The efficiency of those clever plane throughout Marine-operated flight assessments shows the CH?53K’s operational effectiveness and ensures it’s going to help Marines on the forefront of fight functionality and heavy carry for many years to come back,” stated Invoice Falk, Sikorsky’s CH-53K program director. “The CH?53K delivers better carry and endurance capabilities over the legacy plane. Its fly-by-wire system reduces pilot workload and enhances the power to refuel in midair, which is essential to increasing the Marine Corps operational flexibility throughout all U.S. and allied navy companies, making the CH-53K a strong asset for the Marines evolving missions.”
The CH-53K established high-tech manufacturing line in Stratford, Connecticut, is lively with six plane in construct, together with three on schedule for supply this 12 months. There are 46 plane totally on contract together with 4 heavy carry helicopters for the federal government of Israel. The helicopters for Israel are underneath a U.S. Navy Overseas Navy Gross sales (FMS) settlement. An extra 10 U.S.Marine Corps plane are on contract for lengthy lead materials. This system of report for the U.S. Marine Corps is 200 plane. The CH-53K will additional help the U.S. Marine Corps in its mission to conduct expeditionary heavy-lift assault transport of armored automobiles, tools, and personnel to help distributed operations deep inland from a sea-based middle of operations. This functionality is essential within the Indo-Pacific area and across the globe.
