Lockheed Martin's sikorsky aircraft unit
is building the new helicopter for the
us marines. It's powered by a brand new
engine from general electric that will
allow the king stallion to claim the top
spot.
Last week the u.s naval air systems
command awarded the company a contract
to build 22 of the engines valued at 143
million dollars.
The marine corps had plans to buy 200
king stallions through the program, each
of the helicopters will be using three
engines.
Israel has signed a deal with the united
states to buy 12 Lockheed Martin
sikorsky CH-53K helicopters and two
boeing KC-46 refueling planes.
The
ministry said the deal is worth around 3
billion
adding that the procurement is part of a
wider program to strengthen the
capabilities of the israeli defense
forces and preparedness to face current
and developing threats.
The helicopter is powered by key 408 jet
engines that drive the 24 meter seven
blade rotor, supporting a maximum takeoff
weight of about 40 tons. The helicopter
can carry a full payload of up to 16.3
tons including internal and external
loads hanging from three hard pints.
Its
flight ranges three times the range of
previous models, it can fly at a speed of
about 300 kilometers per hour and climb
to an altitude of about 18,000 feet.
On
an operational flight it can carry 12
tons of cargo to a radius of 200
kilometers, that is twice over the
previous model. for example it can carry
a jltv armored vehicle weighing more
than 10 tons on its slang with an
infantry platoon seated in the cabin to
extend the operating range it is
equipped with a refueling probe.
Provided with advanced flight
instruments and night vision, air crews
enjoy improved flying capability in
degraded vision conditions which allow
for safe landing under brown out
conditions. This is the thick dust clouds
that the helicopter produces when flying
near the ground, fly by wire and
sophisticated automation help improve
the flying and maneuvering capability
and in the future will allow
implementation of autonomous flying
capabilities in these helicopters.
According to the manufacturer the CH-53K was designed to allow rapid conversion
of maine and his crews who were already
experienced with legacy CH-53 Helicopters. The cabin of the new CH-53K king
stallion is almost 18 inches wider than
that of the CH-5, marines are trained to make the most out
of what they have which means that extra
1.5 feet will go a long way.
The most
obvious effect of this latest round of
upgrades to the CH-53 is the amount of
cargo it can haul 39,903 pounds. According to lockheed handout, this adds
almost 4,000 pounds of lift capability
to the aircraft.
The Ch-53K is also faster, it has a top
speed of at least 170 knots. A significant upgrade to the 150 knots of
the CH-53, but how is this possible.
The CH-53K is built primarily out of
composite metals which are much lighter
than the materials used in previous
iterations of the chopper, by weighing
glass the CH-53K doesn't have to work as
hard to haul itself around, allowing it
to distribute more lift.
The CH-53K also
replaces the 364 engines of the CH-53E with T-408 engines. the result is about
22,000 horsepower for the new king
stallion, as opposed to the 13 200 of the CH-53.
Much heavier lift helicopters bring new
tactical dimensions to both
expeditionary and maritime warfare as
they enable more disbursed operations, ford operating otherwise disconnected
forest concentrations can be resupplied
with supplies, weapons and ammunition by
heavier helicopter transportation loads, changing the tactical equation the
combat outpost in an island area in the
pacific can more easily receive
reinforcements from amphibiously
launched.
Heavy lift helicopters able to
bring much greater supply loads per
mission, a CH-53K would also be better
positioned to. For instance sling load
mobile artillery weapons or even light
tactical vehicles into high-risk lane
combat areas as well.
The CH-53K sticker price may be a
shocker but the bottom line is that US Marine has had many chances to
rationalize their spending on aerial
programs and has chosen a no compromise
route instead, as such there are a few
areas within their aviation plans left
to modify in order to save money and
invest in more basic needs.
The CH-53K is
a must-have, its heavy lifting
capabilities are essential to the us
marine's mission and there is really no
alternative to the type available off
the shelf. So the F-35 may be an
interesting comparison price wise, but
they are apples and oranges when it
comes to the basic needs of the core.
