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

Detail of the CTFD, Containerized Flight Training Device:

The-Composite-Maintenance-Trainer.png.pc-adaptive.480.medium.png


https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2023/training-fit-for-a-king.html
 
Archibald said:
Now that's begs one crazy question. Could a CH-53K lift a F-35B and then drop it midair - and then the F-35B flies away ?
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No.

For this test, the F-35 was stripped down, including having the engine removed.

More prosaically, I'm not sure where the quick releases are in this rig but I suspect they're at the helo end of the harness. In which case you end up trying to fly a plane with several hundred pounds of heavy chain banging around in the airflow.
 
SteveO said:
Nice video, it has that funny frame rate effect where the rotors are hardly moving.
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I do love videos like that...


TomcatViP said:
New USN contract for 6 new LRIP King with support (550M$):

https://www.govconwire.com/2020/10/...n-to-build-additional-heavy-lift-helicopters/https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2394545/
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which puts LRIP cost-per-plane including support at $91.67mil.


TomcatViP said:
35 more CH-53K contracted (the first contract post FRP) with 8 for IDF (that will now have 12 on order) :

https://www.defensenews.com/air/202...ikorsky-27-billion-for-35-ch-53k-helicopters/
Notice how the unit cost (extrapolated only) has slightly nosed down.
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2700/35 = $77.14mil flyaway cost.

That's already $10mil less than one of the early claims on flyaway cost, a roughly 13% reduction.
 
fightingirish said:
I might be wrong, but IMHO the Hebrew word "Pere" means "bull" in English.
Source (X fka twitter):
https://twitter.com/x/status/1904205854179840033
View: https://x.com/Israel_MOD/status/1904205854179840033?t=skzCCtu7A6jI6iwsMGqwTA&s=19
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The Hebrew word they are using is פרא, which I think more usually means "Wild Ass," an undomesticated donkey native to to the region. Google wants to translate it as just "Wild" but that's not quite right.

https://www.mod.gov.il/כתבות-ומבזקים/חדשות-משרד-הביטחון/שילוב-מערכות-ישראליות-במסוק-הפרא
 
When פרא (pereh) was used as the designator for a Magach variant (the missile launcher for Tammuz, then Spike N-Loss missiles) 15-20 years ago, Tsahal used the translation "Onager".
Which is indeed a specific species of wild donkey, cited in the Bible.
 
dan_inbox said:
When פרא (pereh) was used as the designator for a Magach variant (the missile launcher for Tammuz, then Spike N-Loss missiles) 15-20 years ago, Tsahal used the translation "Onager".
Which is indeed a specific species of wild donkey, cited in the Bible.
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And was also a Roman artillery piece.
 
dan_inbox said:
Indeed, but in this case it is about the wild ass from the tanakh (Job 39:5), because the heyl ha'avir now names its helos after animals, like petrel, owl, cobra, viper, bat.
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Ah, gotcha.

I was actually meaning the Pereh "tank" with the artillery reference, though.
 
TomcatViP said:
Biggest order so far for 99 units:



https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mizuho-lifts-pt-tesla-tsla-045841761.html
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Wrong link; this goes to a Tesla article.


Here is the press release:

https://news.lockheedmartin.com/202...avy-Lift-Helicopters-for-the-U-S-Marine-Corps
It appears that this is essentially a multi-year IDIQ contract with a ceiling of 99 airframes. The actual numbers ordered will depend on available funding and whether or not export orders materialize.

IDIQ = indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity. The individual purchase orders "definitize" the quantities to be delivered.
 
TomS said:
It appears that this is essentially a multi-year IDIQ contract with a ceiling of 99 airframes. The actual numbers ordered will depend on available funding and whether or not export orders materialize.
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I seem to recall the USMC by themselves want over 200. Israel is getting an additional . . .12?

676779.jpg
 
Sferrin said:
I seem to recall the USMC by themselves want over 200. Israel is getting an additional . . .12?

View attachment 786625
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Yep. So far 20 delivered and 63 more already ordered/in production. But I doubt the USMC order rate is going to reach the 19-20 aircraft this contract suggests. The FY-26 budget request is down to 12 aircraft (from 18) because they just don't have the money for more than that. This announcement covers the best case situation (18 USMC aircraft plus 1-2 FMS exports every year).

https://insidedefense.com/daily-new...buy-marine-corps-reviewing-procurement-totals
 
That article touches on something I would have loved to see, which was a continuation of the Navy's "HM" community and AMCM + Heavylift mission.

It has been a shame to see HM-12 and HM-14 stand down without replacement, and HM-15 to follow. Granted, drones and UISS are the future I realize, but leaving the Navy wholly dependent on the USMC for heavy lift seems a shame too.
 

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