Sikorsky Awarded $10.8 Billion Contract for CH-53K King Stallion Helicopters
Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company) has secured a $10.86 billion defense contract from the U.S. Navy to build up to 99 CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps over five years. This is the program’s largest order so far and deliveries are scheduled from 2029 through 2034. The multi-year procurement will ramp up production of the Corps’ next-generation heavy-lift fleet and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.
The five-year deal consolidates five separate production lots (Lots 9–13) into a single multiyear purchase, ensuring predictable pricing and a steady flow of parts. Sikorsky notes that 267 suppliers in 37 U.S. states and partners in eight countries will provide the components. The contract aims to improve affordability and efficiency for future CH-53K production by stabilizing the supply chain and workforce. The multiyear deal will save roughly $1.5 billion in procurement costs over the next five years.
The helicopter is designed to transport troops, vehicles and up to 27,000 pounds of cargo in a single sortie. Its three new GE38 engines provide roughly three times the lifting power of the legacy CH-53E Super Stallion. Designed to meet the Marines’ contested-airfield requirements, the King Stallion can ferry troops, equipment and supplies across hostile battlefields and operate reliably under fire. Modern features such as a fly-by-wire flight control system and advanced avionics greatly enhance its performance, range and survivability.
The CH-53K extends the reach of Marine air assault forces. The aircraft can carry armored vehicles and personnel “deep inland from a sea-based center of operations,” a capability cited as critical for amphibious missions in the Indo-Pacific region. Sikorsky leaders say the King Stallion will give the Marines “unrivaled power, performance, survivability and dependability,” ensuring a strategic advantage in future conflicts.
This contract continues the series of CH-53K purchases. So far, the Corps has received 20 King Stallions, with 63 more in production, and other allied customers are eager to place orders. Israel has contracted for 12 CH-53K helicopters and Japan has reportedly shown interest in the type. The $10.8 billion order locks in long-term production of the CH-53K and underscores its central role in Marine Corps heavy-lift operations and allied defense planning.