The US Marine Corps will gain a next-generation rotary heavy-lift capability when its King Stallions are fielded. Tom Kaminski details the evolution of this new helicopter.
Sikorsky Aircraft’s CH-53K King Stallion is the third generation of the heavy-lift helicopter that has served the US Marine Corps for more than 50 years. It will replace the CH-53E Super Stallion and is intended to deliver big improvements in range, payload, performance, cargo handling, turnaround times and survivability.
Advanced technologies will result in a major reduction of lifecycle costs over the CH- 53E, while improving reliability, maintainability and interoperability.
When it enters service, the CH-53K will become the rotary-wing backbone for the Marines’ expeditionary missions.
Like its predecessors, it will be tasked to take armoured vehicles, equipment and personnel to support the war-fighting philosophy of „distributed operations” deep inland and launched from the sea.
REPLACEMENT
The CH-53K was born out of the Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR) programme, which began in 2000 when the Marine Corps announced plans to upgrade the CH-53E fleet. The latter had entered service in 1981, to replace the CH-53A and ‘D Sea Stallions whi…
