Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR)

[H_K]

Australia is already quite happy with CH-47 and indeed, is in in the process of getting more.

Agree. Same is probably true for other CH-47 operators.

So who needs heavy lift but doesn’t have Chinooks? (Or has CH-53s / Mil Mi-26s to replace?)

Germany
Israel
Japan
France?
Jordan?

 

[Flyaway]

Likely to be a great helicopter, but I have to wonder how many will afford a ~$100M(US)/per unit. Okay, so maybe it gets cheap, like Osprey cheap. The question remains.

Probably end up being just Israel & Germany outside the US. Japan as well.

 

[yasotay]

Yeah, I just can't see them getting the price tag below $100M. That is still a lot of $$ for a helo even in the US.

 

[GTX]

Three more nations in talks with LM for some CH-53K (aside of Israel & Germany) :

Sikorsky In Talks With Three More Nations For CH-53K Sales | Aviation Week Network

Sikorsky is in talks with three more nations about possible sales of the CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift cargo helicopter, following a deal with Israel and the ongoing competition in Germany.

aviationweek.com

Aside from Israel (already selected) and Germany (in competition), Japan would be the most obvious. Another possibility might be Sth Korea given their CH-47s are 20+yrs old and they have the Dokdo-class LPHs now.

 

[DWG]

Probably end up being just Israel & Germany outside the US. Japan as well.

Given Japan has a relatively new AW-101 fleet for MCM, and is buying V-22s for assault, I don't see a large market for the King Stallion there.

 

[DWG]

Three more nations in talks with LM for some CH-53K (aside of Israel & Germany) :

Sikorsky In Talks With Three More Nations For CH-53K Sales | Aviation Week Network

Sikorsky is in talks with three more nations about possible sales of the CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift cargo helicopter, following a deal with Israel and the ongoing competition in Germany.

aviationweek.com

Another possibility might be Sth Korea given their CH-47s are 20+yrs old and they have the Dokdo-class LPHs now.

Though it would be competing against the Marineon variant of the Surion, which is both already in service on the Dokdos and has the advantage of being home grown(-ish). King Stallion's only advantage would be heavy lift, so I suspect that any buy would be small.

 

[TomcatViP]

I wouldn't qualify the old Puma Gearbox and rotor system as being competitive with the K.
Even if improvements were introduced, the listed max takeoff weight (with, oddly, a cited max load that when added to the empty weight is inferior!) is just under the maximum slung load for the Ch-53K.

That, obviously, unless someone is suggesting that the Korean army should temper the risk with the Surion gear box by acquiring some King!!

 

[DWG]

I wouldn't qualify the old Puma Gearbox and rotor system as being competitive with the K.
Even if improvements were introduced, the listed max takeoff weight (with, oddly, a cited max load that when added to the empty weight is inferior!) is just under the maximum slung load for the Ch-53K.

That, obviously, unless someone is suggesting that the Korean army should temper the risk with the Surion gear box by acquiring some King!!

I'm certainly not suggesting a twice-warmed over Puma has the same capabilities as the King Stallion, simply that the Korean Marine Corps has already decided on the Marineon for its assault lift, and attack, roles, and the King Stallion has simply missed the boat. If there is a Korean role for it, I'd see it as a very limited buy to add some heavylift capability.

 

[TomcatViP]

Old (CH-53E):

New (CH-53K)

This Is Our First Look Inside A CH-53K King Stallion Fully Loaded With Marines

Just as with the aging CH-53Es it will replace, scenes like this aboard CH-53Ks will become a staple of Marine infantry for decades to come.

www.thedrive.com

 

[icyplanetnhc (Steve)]

It's pretty remarkable what an additional foot of cabin width does. But, with the overhead panels now covering the hydraulic lines, how will the crew be able to quickly tell that there's still oil without the leaking to remind them?

I also see that Victor units are starting to rock the IAR and SCO combo. For what it is, I can personally attest that the damn thing is a pig, that's for sure, but I digress...

 

[TomcatViP]

Multiple Israeli media outlets report that a committee of government officials that oversee defense spending approved the $2.4 billion deal in a meeting on Nov. 28. The meeting lasted less than an hour, according to Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post. On the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense, the deal is good for 10 to 15 helicopters to replace the Israeli Air Force’s aging CH-53 “Yasur” helicopters.

Israel OKs $2.4 billion CH-53K buy

Israel’s Ministry of Defense now has a green light to spend more than $2 billion on a fleet of Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters.

verticalmag.com

 

[sferrin]

It's pretty remarkable what an additional foot of cabin width does. But, with the overhead panels now covering the hydraulic lines, how will the crew be able to quickly tell that there's still oil without the leaking to remind them?

I also see that victor units are starting to rock the IAR and SCO combo. For what it is, I can personally attest that the damn thing is a pig, that's for sure, but I digress...

What thing is a pig? And compared to what?

 

[icyplanetnhc (Steve)]

What thing is a pig? And compared to what?

The M27 IAR, combined with a PEQ-16, bipod, and the 1-8x28 SCO scope (Trijicon VCOG 1-8); the damn thing is a heavy motherfucker, as the scope itself is 2 lbs. The whole thing weighs close to 13 lbs loaded and is in particular quite front heavy. Carry it for field and patrol exercises and you’ll understand. Fully outfitted, the weapon is heavier the old M14, and with the KAC NT4 suppressor that's planned to be fielded to all infantry units, it's approaching the weight of an M1918 BAR.

I’m personally not fond of it being a standard infantry rifle. Besides the weight that negatively affects maneuverability, a standard infantry combat load isn’t quite enough for sustained automatic fire in the first place.

 

[TomcatViP]

Not a flyoff yet, but a restart:

Court clears Germany to restart heavy helicopter acquisition

Germany is free to try for a second time to acquire heavy transport helicopters for its armed forces, after a court ruled that while the way an earlier procurement was halted was illegal, it could still be ended without a winning bidder being chosen.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[riggerrob]

It's pretty remarkable what an additional foot of cabin width does. But, with the overhead panels now covering the hydraulic lines, how will the crew be able to quickly tell that there's still oil without the leaking to remind them?

I also see that victor units are starting to rock the IAR and SCO combo. For what it is, I can personally attest that the damn thing is a pig, that's for sure, but I digress...

Clear Plexiglas interior panels can minimize snag hazards while still allowing maintenance crew to see hydraulic lines, etc.

 

[yasotay]

I would put money on it that in a prolonged deployment those panels, if not flight required, will end up in the back of a sealand container, behind the hanger.

 

[TomcatViP]

Not a CH-53K news per se but still an interesting potential development: Germany could deploy some of its CH-53E in Niger and Mali to support the European contingent.

MALI : German army to deploy CH-53 helicopters to Gao next summer - 23/12/2021 - Africa Intelligence

Germany's MINUSMA contingents stationed in Gao will be taking delivery of several heavy-lift transport helicopters, thereby reducing their reliance on private contractors and affording Berlin more - 12/23/2021

www.africaintelligence.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Marine Corps Air Station New River will transition from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter squadron to the Marine Corps’ first operational CH-53K King Stallion helicopter squadron as part of the Marine Corps’ modernization efforts for the future fight.

ENC Marine Corps Air Station squadron will be first to fly new heavy-lift helicopter

History will be made next week when an eastern North Carolina military base becomes the first operational King Stallion squadron. Marine Corps Air Station New River will transition from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter squadron to the Marine Corps’ first operational CH-53K King Stallion...

wcti12.com

 

[sferrin]

Albany International Selected by Sikorsky to Produce CH-53K Aft Transition, Adding to Its Share on The Program

Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN) announced today that its subsidiary Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) has been selected by Sikorsky Aircraft t

www.businesswire.com

 

[starviking]

Albany International Selected by Sikorsky to Produce CH-53K Aft Transition, Adding to Its Share on The Program

Albany International Corp. (NYSE: AIN) announced today that its subsidiary Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) has been selected by Sikorsky Aircraft t

www.businesswire.com

What’s an “aft transition” assembly? Transmission, perchance?

 

[TomcatViP]

Rear rotor pylon assembly.

 

[sferrin]

Rear rotor pylon assembly.

Rear rotor pylon (Tail Rotor Pylon) is the aft pink area here. The Aft Transition section is the green area.

edit: Also, this graphic is old. "EDO" is Albany. Albany currently does the tail and sponsons and just picked up the Aft Transition section.

 

[TomcatViP]

New flight control computer:

Military avionics designers at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn., will redesign the flight-control computer aboard the U.S. Marine Corps. CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter under terms of a $36 million three-year order.

Officials of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, to provide a CH-53K flight-control computer redesign due to obsolescence.

The order includes non-recurring engineering efforts to integrate, test, and qualify an updated flight-control computer for the CH-53K. The redesigned flight-control computer will undergo qualification testing to ensure all changes meet CH-53K performance specifications, and are backward compatible with all CH-53K flight control system hardware and software interfaces.

Sikorsky to redesign flight-control computer avionics on CH-53K helicopters to stave-off parts obsolescence

Over time, some of the electronic components inside a flight-control computer can become obsolete and no longer have support from their manufacturers.

www.militaryaerospace.com

 

[sferrin]

 

[TomcatViP]

Sikorsky-Rheinmetall‘s STH team briefed German defence media and Janes in Bonn on 12 April, announcing that the US government had on 8 April submitted updated information and the possible delivery plan for the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of the CH-53K to Germany. Sikorsky and Rheinmetall said they could deliver the first CH-53Ks starting in 2025, with the US Marine Corps, as the main user of the helicopter, able to provide training to convert German crews from the CH-53G, enabling the ageing helicopters‘ retirement in 2030 as planned.

Sikorsky-Rheinmetall team details its bid for Germany‘s CH-53 replacement

Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, and Rheinmetall have detailed the latest state of their bid for Germany‘s Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) heavy transport helicopter...

www.janes.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Marines declare IOC

Marine Corps declares its heavy-lift helicopter operational

The Marines this month declared initial operational capability for its CH-53K King Stallion, after the heavy lift helo demonstrated not only its operational performance but the maturity of its training and logistics programs as well.

www.defensenews.com

 

[aonestudio]

U.S. Marine Corps Declares Initial Operational Capability of Sikorsky CH-53K®

Major milestone for the most modern and powerful helicopter in DoD inventory STRATFORD, Conn., April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Marine Corps declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC)...

news.lockheedmartin.com

 

[TomcatViP]

CH-53K Introduces new balancing blade methodology and field transportable solution with predictive maintenance tool:

[...] the whirl tower at FRCE doesn’t have the size or the horsepower to accommodate the length and weight of a CH-53K blade; that’s where the universal static balance fixture, or USBF, comes in.

“The USBF fixture creates a virtual master where the known parameters, dimensions and characteristics of the master blade are entered into the software,” said Peedin. “When you weigh a main rotor blade, it compares the data against the virtual parameters to tell you how to adjust the blade and what weights to add or subtract.”

FRCE moves into future with new helicopter blade balancing system

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. – Rotor blades for the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter that arrive for rework at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) will be balanced on a new system that

www.navy.mil

 

[RavenOne]

It was nice to be reunited With the King again at ILA Berlin after 4 years a fortnight ago. This time it Belonged to VMx-1 out of MCAS Yuma and here are my photos and very grateful to likes of Navair , VMx-1 and of course the OEM for their time at the show.

I think this is 9th airframe off the production line.

cheers

 

[sferrin]

Awesome.

 

[Flyaway]

Why is it that this has lost out overall as a model to the Chinook for foreign sales?

 

[TomcatViP]

@Flyaway : Probably pricing and commonality with other European partners already flying Chinook.

 

[TomcatViP]

Air Force to merge helicopter squadrons ahead of advanced heavy choppers’ arrival

CH-53K King Stallion, purchased from US, will gradually replace IAF's aging CH-53 Sea Stallion fleet, known as Yasur, starting 2026

www.timesofisrael.com

 

[Moose]

Why is it that this has lost out overall as a model to the Chinook for foreign sales?

Cost mostly, this is a huge 3-engine behemoth and has costs to match. The USMC and IAF have the budget and the need for that much performance so they're onboard.

 

[kaiserd]

Why is it that this has lost out overall as a model to the Chinook for foreign sales?

Cost mostly, this is a huge 3-engine behemoth and has costs to match. The USMC and IAF have the budget and the need for that much performance so they're onboard.

For the IAF it’s US military aid that’s actually picking up the bill.
For anyone else paying with their own money the Chinook is just a clearly better cost/capability trade-off.

The recent Germany decision (who, like Israel have a long history of operating earlier versions of the CH-53) to instead go for the Chinook is an example of this.

 

[TomcatViP]

The arguments around the military aid doesn't make much sense here and tend to depict the K as an unnecessary expense.

Given the notable difference in prices, IAF personnel would likely, as all other military members in the world, have picked the Chinook to get more airframe at a similar cost. Fact is that the performances both platforms offer are also notably different. IAF planners simply choose to get more capabilities at the expense of a bit less of airframe.

US Military aid is a fixed budget that they try to max out like you certainly do yourself and everybody else.

 

[kaiserd]

In fairness I’d be pretty sure the Israel’s went for the CH-53K because they intend to make use of its long range mission / special forces friendly support capabilities as they have done for their earlier CH-53 variants (i.e. the difference versus a latest Chinook variant were more significant to them than would be the case for nearly every other country facing that same either/ or decision).
However the differences with how such deals are financed probably do make these kind of decisions that bit easier for the Israeli’s to make, at least from a political perspective.

 

[bobbymike]

Hugely powerful new Marine helicopter makes training exercise debut

More than 100 mechanical issues had caused a yearslong delay in getting the King Stallion to fleet.

www.militarytimes.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/CH-53K-approved-full-rate-production/Wed-12212022-1227

Published: Dec 23, 2022
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md.

The CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter has entered Full Rate Production (FRP) and its deployment phase, following a decision review by Frederick J. Stefany, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.

FRP occurs at the end of Low Rate Initial Production following a review assessing the results of Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E), Live Fire Test and Evaluation, production readiness reviews, risk, and affordability analyses. On Dec. 21, the Acquisition Decision Memorandum was signed, authorizing entry of the CH-53K into FRP.

 

[Moose]

Excellent news, hope the Corps gets all 200 they want.