The maker of America’s largest helicopters just received a new order for its enormous heavy lift CH-53K King Stallion. The Department of the Navy awarded $10.855 billion to Sikorsky, now a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, for a maximum of 99 new helos to serve the US Marine Corps.
The performance period is set at five years, with deliveries to take place between 2029 and 2034. The CH-53K is the most powerful helicopter in the US inventory and serves numerous battlefield roles.
Clear Skies For The King Stallion
Five different order batches have been combined into the multi-year procurement terms under the contract, guaranteeing constant material flow and pricing stability for 267 vendors across over 37 states, as well as 17 suppliers from eight international locations. Under the terms of the contract, the US Government can purchase up to 99 CH-53K aircraft for the Marine Corps or surplus airframe can be sold to satisfy orders from foreign military clients.
So far, one USMC fleet squadron has transitioned to the CH-53K, as well as one developmental test squadron, one operational test squadron and one training squadron. Currently, Israel is retraining a squadron to transition to the CH-53K from the legacy CH-53-2000 Sea Stallion. All other international operators have liquidated their Sea Stallions except for Iran which still has a handful of vintage examples captured in the revolution.
Colonel Kate Fleeger, Program Manager, H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter Program Office (PMA-261), made the following remarks as shown in the Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky press release:
“This contract represents a huge ‘win’ for the entire CH-53K team. The contract allows Sikorsky to bundle purchase orders from suppliers to achieve better pricing and pass the savings on to the government, giving us the ability to provide dependable delivery to the fleet and a consistent and predictable timeline for the transition from the CH-53E to the CH-53K.”
Ironhorse On Point
The one active squadron currently flying the CH-53K in the USMC is Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461), nicknamed “Ironhorse.” Based at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, it is the oldest active Heavy Lift Helicopter Squadron in the Marine Corps. The squadron became the first operational unit to transition when they began the switch over from the CH-53E Super Stallion in 2022. The squadron has flown Sea Stallions since 1966 when it got its first CH-53A models.
The squadron has a storied legacy, originating in the flames of World War II, Marine Fighter Squadron 461 (VMF-461) flew the F4U Corsair until a few years after the war when it was deactivated. In 1957, the unit stood up to fly the Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave (largest USMC helo at the time) in support of the NASA space program. Then in the 1990s, “Ironhorse” was the first USMC helo squadron to lift two Humvees at the same time, perform Hover In-flight Refueling (HIFR), and aerial refueling (AR) at night.
The King Stallion provides a unique capability in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). As an immensely powerful rotary-wing aircraft it can deliver or extract troops, artillery, light armored vehicles, or even other aircraft wherever needed. As of today, Sikorsky has delivered 20 CH-53K aircraft to the Marine Corps. According to Seapower Magazine, an additional 63 aircraft are already in various stages of assembly.
Sikorsky’s Stallion Rides On
The CH-53K can lift three times the load of its predecessor, the CH-53E, thanks to the combined power of its three 7,500 shaft horsepower engines. The helo has a digital system that benefits from operational experience in MAGTF. Advancements include open architecture upgrade readiness and advanced maintenance prediction. It has sensors to work as a node in dispersed battlefield networks, and interact with unmanned systems.
The CH-53K is the new gold standard in vertical lift with its internal and external payload capabilities and bigger cabin space. The enlarged cabin can accommodate larger pallets and Humvees. It allows for cargo loading and unloading without requiring troop seating to be moved or reconfigured, and offers customizable combinations for any mission.