32 Aviation News incorporating Jets May 2018hover manoeuvres and demonstrated its
control authority. Another milestone was
achieved on February 10, 2018 when the King
Stallion demonstrated the maximum weight
external lift of a 36,000lb (16,329kg) payload
from its single centre point cargo hook. The
event marked the completion of critical ight
envelope expansion activities during which the
helicopter was own at speeds of up to 200kts
(370km/h) and an angle of bank up to 60 ̊.
Additionally, take-offs and landings from sloped
surfaces up to 12 ̊ were conducted, along with
external load auto-jettison and the rst gun re
testing took place on March 22, 2017.
A two-week operational assessment by
Marine Corps pilots, aircrew and maintainers
was completed on October 19, 2016.
Conducted at Sikorsky’s ight centre, the
OT-B1 (operational test) test phase was
also intended to minimise risk in advance
of the initial operational test and evaluation
(OPEVAL) phase.
As part of the OT-B1, the YCH-53K lifted
a 27,000lb (12,246kg) load in a hover, and
carried a 12,000lb (5,443kg) during a 110nm
(204km) mission.
During ground evaluations, combat-
equipped troops were embarked and
disembarked. Cargo was rigged both internally
and externally. Tactical bulk fuel delivery
system (TBFDS) operation and MEDEVAC
litter con gurations were also checked.
According to NAVAIR’s H-53 programme
manager, Col Hank Vanderborght “the
operational assessment was really the rst
time where we had a Marine Corps crew
y the aircraft and perform operationally
representative mission pro les.” Additionally,
he said, “all test objectives were met, and
the aircraft performed very well. This further
increases our con dence in the design, andis another key step to successfully elding the
CH-53K.”
Flight evaluation began transitioning
from Florida when EDM-4 arrived at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, on June 30, 2017.
It subsequently underwent modi cations
and completed extensive electromagnetic
environmental effects (E3) and night-vision
compatibility checks before returning to
the air. Three EDM aircraft had arrived at
Patuxent River by February 2018 and EDM 1
will follow this spring. Seven YCH-53Ks and
CH-53Ks s are expected to be at the base by
the middle of this year.
The integrated test team (ITT) will carry
out the remaining developmental and the
operational analysis at Patuxent River. The
ITT comprises pilots, aircrew, engineers
and maintainers from air test and evaluation
squadron HX-21, the Naval Air Warfare
Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) and
Sikorsky Aircraft.
By mid-March, the ve helicopters had
completed more than 800 hours of veri cation
ights, including 142 that were own at
Patuxent River. Additionally, the GTV has
logged approximately 775 test hours. Initial
Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) or
OPEVAL is scheduled to begin in September
2019 and should be completed by December
that year. This will be supported by four of
the SDTAs. The King Stallion remains on
track to reach IOC in December 2019. This
is when four aircraft and combat-ready crews
are declared “ready for deployment”.FIELDING
According to the latest Marine Corps Aviation
Plan, the King Stallion will equip eight active-
component (AC) squadrons, two reserve
(RC) and one heavy helicopter training(HMHT) Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS).
Marine aircraft group MAG-29 at MCAS
New River, North Carolina, will be the rst to
transition to the CH-53K, and HMH-366 will
be the initial operational unit. Conversion will
begin in December 2019 and be completed
in Fiscal Year 2023. The FRS (HMMT-302)
is also scheduled to receive its rst of 21
King Stallions in FY19 and HMH-461 and
HMH-464 will begin transitions in FY23 and
24 respectively. The change for the MAG-16
squadrons at MCAS Miramar, California, as
well as HMH-463 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii, will start in FY26. Full operational
capability (FOC) will be achieved when
conversion of the last AC squadrons is
completed in FY29.
The reserve squadrons will transition to
the CH-53K beginning in FY29 and conclude
in FY32. Each operational AC squadron
will be assigned 16 CH-53Ks, while the
RC squadrons will receive eight. Three
helicopters, including two of the EDMs, will
support ongoing test and evaluation.
Two of the EDMs will eventually be
converted into practical job trainers (PJT) for
use by the Center for Naval Aviation Technical
Training Marine Unit (CNATT MARU) at
MCAS New River, North Carolina.
The King Stallion has already attracted
interest from Germany and Israel, which both
plan to replace ‘legacy’ CH-53s. German
requirements include 40 to 60 replacements for
the Luftwaffe’s current CH-53G/GA/GS eet.
A German purchase could increase CH-
53K production by 25% and reduce unit costs
signi cantly.
The rst SDTA CH-53K arrived at Holzdorf
Air Base, Germany, aboard a USAF C-17A
on March 27 for participation in the ILA
Berlin Air Show. While in Germany, the King
Stallion will also support demonstrations
for the Luftwaffe. In preparation for the air
movement, the programme achieved its
Air Transportability Test Loading Activity
certi cation from the USAF.
Israel hopes to replace its eet of CH-53D
(S-65C-3) Yas’ur (Petrel) helicopters by 2025
and has reportedly requested pricing and
availability information for 20 aircraft.
Additionally, the US Navy could potentially
purchase a variant as a replacement for its
small eet of MH-53E Sea Dragons, which
are tasked with aerial mine countermeasures
(AMCM) and vertical onboard delivery (VOD)
missions.Lt Col Jonathan Morel pilots a King Stallion on December 18, 2015. He was the rst marine to y the helicopter.An EDM YCH-53K undergoes an engine run at Sikorsky Aircraft’s Florida test facility on
February 25, 2015. The type made its initial ight on January 22, 2016 with a redesigned
gearbox. Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky Aircraft28-32_ch53kDC.mf.indd 32 03/04/2018 17:25