U.S. Navy Signs $2.7 Billion Contract For 35 CH-53K King Stallions
Sikorsky announced on 24 August, that the United States Navy had awarded it a contract worth $2.7 billion to build and deliver 35 CH-53K King Stallions, the largest order signed to date for the heavy lift helicopter.
The contract covers the production of 12 CH-53Ks for the United States Marine Corps’ Lot 7 order, 15 helicopters ordered under Lot 8, as well as eight helicopters for Israel specially outfitted to support Israeli special operations forces. Deliveries of the helicopters are planned to begin in 2026.
“This contract award for 35 CH-53K helicopters stabilizes Sikorsky’s nationwide supply base, creates additional production efficiencies, and provides the U.S. Marine Corps with transformative 21st century technologies,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky. “Our long-standing partnership led to this best value contract award providing the capability and readiness the Marines need.”
The wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin added that the contract “significantly advances” Sikorsky and the Navy’s work towards a multi-year procurement agreement and the 200 CH-53Ks planned under the Marine Corps’ Program of Record. Following the declaration of full rate production in December 2022, Sikorsky is now procuring long-lead items and critical materials to support its goal of building over 20 King Stallions annually in the coming years.
“Our skilled employees are using digital tools to build more efficiently as these helicopters roll off the production line and into the hands of the Marines,” said Dana Fiatarone, vice president, Sikorsky Marine Corps Systems. “The performance of the CH-53K in the fleet validates its capabilities to provide a strategic advantage and shows that even more is possible with this aircraft.”
First delivered to the Marine Corps in 2018, the King Stallion is the newest member of the Sea Stallion family that has been serving the Marine Corps since the 1960s. The CH-53K can carry a 27,000-pound external load over 110 nautical miles in high/hot conditions, over three times the carrying capacity of the preceding CH-53E in identical conditions.