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

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Sikorsky brochure for CH-53K Super Stallion Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR):

http://www.sikorsky.com/StaticFiles/Sikorsky/Assets/Attachments/Mission%20Downloads/CH-53K_Brochure.pdf

Sikorsky CH-53K Super Stallion Mission Brief:

http://www.sikorsky.com/StaticFiles/Sikorsky/Assets/Attachments/Mission%20Downloads/CH-53K_MissionBrief.pdf
 
http://youtu.be/zS_vPYj-kyo

Artist's impression of Sikorsky CH-53K Super Stallion.

Source:
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/ch53k-the-us-marines-hlr-helicopter-program-updated-01724/
 

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Nice video, hopefully we'll be out of Afghanistan in 2019 though!

Seems like the program is almost going to plan http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/sikorsky-tables-new-ch-53k-proposal-369923/
 
SteveO said:
Nice video, hopefully we'll be out of Afghanistan in 2019 though!

Seems like the program is almost going to plan http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/sikorsky-tables-new-ch-53k-proposal-369923/

Well, they are 4 years behind schedule, although not all of that is due to the aircraft- some of it is due to decisions made by the Corps, which may have involved funding. And although development costs have risen by nearly 40%, those problems seem to be behind them and it now is looked on as a well-managed program.
 
Source:
http://jegostrona.pl/militaria/galeria/412902,1,sikorsky-chwali-sie-ciezkim-smiglowcem-transportowym-galeria-zdjec.html
http://www.yorktowndet1173.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=34
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/ch53k-the-us-marines-hlr-helicopter-program-updated-01724/
http://z9.invisionfree.com/21c/ar/t12128.htm
 

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Source:
http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/photo/ch-53k-heavy-lift-replacement-planned-follow-marine-corps-ch-53e-heavy-lift-helicopter
 

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Sikorsky CH-53K Helicopter Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) turned its engines on

Published on Feb 11, 2014

The "Bare Head Light-off" phase of testing - so named because no rotor blades are attached -- began under auxiliary power in December with safety-of-flight test pilots at the aircraft's controls. Not too soon after the January 17 event, the rotor head turned without blades on January 24. By January 24 the rotor head was engaged (turning without blades) under engine power.

http://youtu.be/oh8FuBIGkUg
 
From Graham Warwick twitter feed
Graham Warwick ‏@TheWoracle 19. Feb.
@SikorskyAircrft CH-53K facts: 4 flight-test engineering development models are YCH-53Ks, model number is S-95, name to come at May rollout.
Link: https://twitter.com/TheWoracle/statuses/436184054082600960
 
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/sikorsky-ch-53k-testing-continues-on-schedule-396185/

"The giant grey frame of a prototype Sikorsky CH-53K heavy lift helicopter rests on a concrete stand under South Florida’s hot winter sun, ready for testing.

But the prototype is not an aircraft – it is a ground test vehicle, mounted on a pedestal bolted to the aircraft’s transmission.

On a recent day, engineers prepared to fire up the GTV’s General Electric GE38-1B engines as part of a testing programme that Sikorsky says will lead to a first flight of the 39.9t gross weight helicopter by the end of the year.

The company tells Flightglobal that despite some minor problems, the programme remains on track for the aircraft to reach initial operational capability with the US Marine Corps by 2019.

“There are no significant technical issues,” Michael Torok, Sikorsky’s vice president of the programme, says during a tour of the facility. “There are no show stoppers.”"
 
http://aviationweek.com/defense/ch-53k-ground-tests-advance-ahead-rollout

We'll see the first prototype vehicle very soon.
 
Source: https://twitter.com/TheWoracle
 

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RadicalDisconnect said:
http://aviationweek.com/defense/ch-53k-ground-tests-advance-ahead-rollout

We'll see the first prototype vehicle very soon.

Tomorrow.

"Rotor blades began turning on the ground-test vehicle (GTV) on April 17 and the first of four YCH-53K flight-test aircraft will be rolled out formally on May 5."
 
Sikorsky Unveils CH-53K Helicopter; U.S. Marine Corps Reveals Aircraft Name
May 05, 2014
West Palm Beach, Florida - Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), today officially unveiled the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter, the next generation in the CH-53 type series that the U.S. Marine Corps expects to begin operational service in 2019. During the rollout ceremony, attended by members of Congress, the Department of Defense, major suppliers to the program, international guests and company employees, the Commandant of the Marine Corps General F. Amos introduced the name for the new aircraft: the “King Stallion.”


“The rollout of the CH-53K helicopter introduces a new era in Marine Corps aviation and is an exciting milestone in our company’s 91 year history,” said Sikorsky President Mick Maurer. “The CH-53K aircraft will effectively triple the external load carrying capacity of the CH-53E aircraft — to more than 27,000 pounds over a mission radius of 110 nautical miles. With its 88,000-pound maximum gross weight, powerful new engines, lightweight composite structure, new rotor blades and fly-by-wire flight controls, the CH-53K will have the means to move troops and equipment from ship to shore, and to higher altitude terrain, more quickly and effectively than ever before.”

GE Aviation’s all-new T408 engine plays a key role in the increased capability of the CH-53K helicopter. Compared to the CH-53E aircraft’s T64 turboshaft powerplant, the three new engines provide 57 percent more power for approximately 20 percent lower specific fuel consumption. To convert the extra engine power into torque and shaft horsepower within a similarly-sized main gearbox, Sikorsky developed a new transmission that efficiently transfers the engine power to the CH-53K helicopter’s main rotors.

For increased lift, Sikorsky developed the largest and most technologically advanced main rotor blade the company has ever produced. At 35 feet span length, and almost three feet chord width, the all-composite blade has 12 percent more surface area than the CH-53E blade.

The new aircraft’s major airframe sections were built from strong, lightweight advanced composite materials by Aurora Flight Sciences, Exelis, GKN Aerospace and Spirit Aerosystems.

And to ensure exceptional flight handling qualities and low pilot workload, a Rockwell Collins digital glass cockpit governs a fly-by-wire flight control system developed by Sikorsky, UTC Aerospace Systems, Eaton and BAE.

The CH-53K is one of the first all-digitally designed helicopters. This approach enabled Sikorsky to assemble the aircraft inside a 3D virtual reality lab at its Stratford, Connecticut, headquarters before prototype production began.

“Our ‘build before you build’ approach allowed our engineers to work ‘inside’ the helicopter,” said Maurer, “to verify assembly designs and correct issues long before discovery and expensive rework on the assembly line.”

To ensure smart, affordable logistics support during the life of the aircraft, Sikorsky and the government are applying methodology that will enable the Marine Corps to analyze flight, maintenance and performance data from every aircraft. By identifying trends across the fleet, the Marines are expected to realize significant improvements in aircraft readiness and reduced operational costs compared to the CH-53E fleet.

In April, Sikorsky began powered ground tests of the CH-53K aircraft systems, such as rotors, drive, electrical, hydraulic, avionics and flight controls. Hundreds of hours of powered ground tests will prepare the CH-53K team for first flight at the end of 2014, and the start of a three-year flight test program.

Per the current program of record, the Marine Corps intends to order 200 CH-53K production aircraft and stand up eight operational squadrons and one training squadron to support the Marine Corps’ operational requirements. Eventual production quantities would be determined year-by-year over the life of the program based on funding allocations set by Congress and the U.S. Department of Defense acquisition priorities.

http://www.sikorsky.com/About+Sikorsky/News/Press+Details?pressvcmid=5f8372c365dc5410VgnVCM1000004f62529fRCRD
 
Massively disappointed. They had an image on their site for the rollout (the kind the looks like an obvious link to streaming video)and then never showed anything. :'(
 
I wouldn't be surprised, if someone in service names this monster "King Kong". ;) ;D




Edit:
Short video of rollout ceremony with an interview with the Commandant of the Marine Corps General F. Amos
Link:
http://social.newsinc.com/media/json/69017/25942521/singleVideoOG.html?type=VideoPlayer%2F16x9&videoId=25942521#.U2k82noCtCI.gmail
 
more ;D
 

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Sikorsky Aircraft - Official Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion Pre-Reveal Video
http://youtu.be/uhWvA88qfXc
Code:
http://youtu.be/uhWvA88qfXc
Screenshots at Solomon's Blog. :)
Link: http://snafu-solomon.blogspot.de/2014/05/ch-53k-screen-caps.html
 
Love the shot of the CH-53K sling-loading a CH-47. :)
 
TomS said:
Love the shot of the CH-53K sling-loading a CH-47. :)

A buddy of mine (a former CH-53E crew chief) liked the video of the CH-53E punching off a sling-loaded CH-47 when it started going wonky in flight and became a hazard even more. ;D (Apparently there is just a bit of rivalry between the two communities. :) )

 
Last edited:
Better than calling it an Ultra Stallion (a la the F-107 Ultra Saber).
 
According to some marines, the CH-53 was nicknamed "the shitter." A bit of googling suggests that this is due to the exhaust output of the three engines. ;D
 

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Found at SNAFU!'s blog.
??? :(

(Reuters) - The first flight of the U.S. Marine Corp's new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter will likely be delayed until the first half of next year, instead of occurring by the end of this year as planned, the head of Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp, told Reuters on Sunday.


Sikorsky Aircraft President Mick Maurer said the delay was due to challenges in getting design changes to the transmission system and gear box into production since those parts take a long time to produce.


He said he did not expect the delay in the first flight to affect the overall programme.


"From a design standpoint, we're in great shape," Maurer said in an interview on the eve of the Farnborough air show. "It's just a question of getting it produced."


"First flight is a high visibility milestone, but in the whole scheme of things it's not as important as actually getting the testing done, and we're doing that."


(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)
Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/13/uk-airshow-britain-sikorsky-helicopter-idUKKBN0FI0FB20140713
 

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CH-53K makes first flight.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/27/utc-sikorsky-helicopter-idUSL1N12R1W920151027

Oct 27 Sikorsky Aircraft's CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter being built for the U.S. Marine Corps completed its first test flight on Tuesday, company and Marine Corps officials said Tuesday.
 
First flights for helicopters always seem like a bit of a joke. I wouldn't call this so much a "flight" as a "hop", really just a hover in fact. Pretty much a "look ma, no hands" type of thing. When a fixed-wing aircraft first flies, it has to jump into the air and do its thing! Even if the hop is short, the maneuvers limited and the speed low, it still has to accelerate, decelerate, use its ailerons, rudders, flaps maybe. The helicopter just rises... Makes you want to shout: "Fine, your rotor works. Big deal! Now what about the rest of you??"

https://www.facebook.com/SikorskyAircraft/videos/10153172116885770/
 
Skyblazer said:
First flights for helicopters always seem like a bit of a joke. I wouldn't call this so much a "flight" as a "hop", really just a hover in fact. Pretty much a "look ma, no hands" type of thing. When a fixed-wing aircraft first flies, it has to jump into the air and do its thing! Even if the hop is short, the maneuvers limited and the speed low, it still has to accelerate, decelerate, use its ailerons, rudders, flaps maybe. The helicopter just rises... Makes you want to shout: "Fine, your rotor works. Big deal! Now what about the rest of you??"

https://www.facebook.com/SikorskyAircraft/videos/10153172116885770/
:eek:
 
Never mind that a helicopter is using all of its "control surfaces" just to take off and hover properly -- cyclic, collective, and anti-torque adjustments to the main and tail rotor ARE the helicopter's equivalent of moving the ailerons, rudders, and flaps.
 
TomS said:
Never mind that a helicopter is using all of its "control surfaces" just to take off and hover properly -- cyclic, collective, and anti-torque adjustments to the main and tail rotor ARE the helicopter's equivalent of moving the ailerons, rudders, and flaps.
++
 

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