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CH-53K deliveries begin
The first of an anticipated 200
Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion
helicopters was delivered to the US
Marine Corps on May 16, 2018.
The helicopter will be based at
Marine Corps Air Station New River,
near Jacksonville in North Carolina,
and will next enter the US Marine
Corps supportability test plan.
Under the plan, the CH-53K will
be utilised in a logistics assessment
that will examine the maintenance,
sustainment and logistics support
footprint of the type in Marine
Corps service.
Dan Schultz, Sikorsky’s President,
said: “Our first delivery of a CH-53K
to the Marine Corps marks the start
of a new generation of true heavy-lift
helicopter deliveries by Sikorsky that
bring unsurpassed and expanded
capability across the modern
battlefield to provide tremendous
mission flexibility and efficiency
in delivering combat power,
humanitarian assistance or disaster
relief for those in need.”
Shultz, a former CH-53 pilot
himself, added: “With 18 additional
aircraft in various stages of
production already, the entire
Sikorsky team, in partnership with
our suppliers, is looking forward to
additional deliveries.”
A second CH-53K is expected to be
delivered to the Marine Corps in early
2019 and Sikorsky is gearing up its
manufacturing facility in Stratford,
Connecticut to accommodate the
production line.The first CH-53K King Stallion lands at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North
Carolina on May 16. The aircraft’s delivery to MCAS New River marked another
on-time milestone for the US Marine Corps’ future heavy-lift helicopter programme.
Personnel with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) will
bring the CH-53K into a supportability test plan, where they will conduct a logistical
assessment on the maintenance, sustainment and overall logistics support of the
King Stallion. Sgt Matthew Callahan/US Marine Corps
Canada’s Department of National
Defence and Sikorsky have been
recognised by AHS International for
their work to prove the ship/helicopter
operational capability of the CH-148
Cyclone maritime helicopter.
Representatives from the Canadian
Maritime Helicopter Project (CMHP)
Combined Test Team accepted the
Leonardo International Fellowship
Award during AHS International’s
annual forum in Phoenix, Arizona,
on May 18, 2018.
The trials were conducted aboard
Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class
frigates, HMCS Montréal and HMCS
Halifax on a total of five occasions
between 2010 and 2017 and
cleared the CH-148 to operate in
conditions up to sea state 6. A totalof 270 hours and approximately
975 landings were performed
during the trials.
Sikorsky CMHP Director William
Falk, said: “The combined industry
and government flight test team
collaborated fully to demonstrate
the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter’s
anti-submarine and anti-surface
warfare missions during some of the
roughest winter weather imaginable... Successful demonstration of strict
ship/helicopter capability is required
before the Canadian government
can deploy this helicopter weapon
system.”
The Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) is expected to take delivery
of the last of 28 CH-148s on order
by 2021. Nigel Pittaway
Shipboard testing of Canada’s CH-148 Cyclone helicopter was carried out in
the waters off Nova Scotia between 2010 and 2017. This photo shows CH-148
Cyclone 148824 landing on HMCS Halifax off the coast of Nova Scotia.
Ordinary Seaman Raymond Kwan/Royal Canadian NavyThe Tentara Nasional Indonesia
Angkatan Darat (Indonesian Army
or TNI-AD) formally accepted eight
Boeing AH-64E Apache attack
helicopters during a ceremony on May
16, 2018, according to the country’s
Antara news agency.
The first of the eight Apaches ordered
by the Indonesian government
had previously been delivered to
Semarang, on the island of Java, by a
US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III in
December 2017.
The formal handover ceremony
took place on the TNI-AD base at
Ahmad Yani airport in Semarang, in
the presence of Indonesian Defence
Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Erin
Elizabeth McKee from the US Embassy
in Jakarta.
Speaking at the event, Erin McKee said:
“We hope that the procurement of
Apache helicopters by the Indonesian
armed forces would support the
commitment of both countries [the US
and Indonesia] to realise stability, peace
and security in the region.” Nigel PittawayBell 206B3 D-HMFC (c/n 3067), one of six used by Motorflug Baden-Baden GmbH under contract to the German Ministry of
Defence for basic flight training of student helicopter pilots during their course with the Heeresfliegerwaffenschule (School of
Army Aviation) at Bückeburg, Germany. Timm ZiegenthalerIndonesian
Army inducts
Apaches
International award
Heeresfliegerwaffenschule Bell 206