Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion

History

The Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion is a heavy helicopter system developed for the United States Marine Corps and now used by a small number of military personnel. She has proven to be an extremely versatile mount when it comes to transporting heavy equipment (including artillery batteries), troop massing, fighting forest fires, and evacuating the wounded. The CH-53 had notable operations with the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the Vietnam War, and thereafter with Israeli and German forces.

Despite its origins in the 1960s, the CH-53 remains one of the most mature and capable heavy lift systems in the world and should remain in service for some time to come, especially given that most of the helicopters that regularly require this type of helicopter Defense cuts of the national army are imminent.

The Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion grew out of the US Marine Corps' need for a heavy transport platform to replace its aging Sikorsky CH-37C Mojave model. These then-US Marine Corps helicopters used piston-driven engine systems, rather than the more modern turboshaft arrangements still in use today, and were often underpowered to meet the growing demands of the battlefield.

The U.S. Marine Corps, along with other U.S. military branches, is involved in the tilt-wing rotor concept program proposed by Vought-Hiller-Ryan.

However, with most of these "one-size-fits-all" approaches, development became bloated, expensive, and lengthy, forcing the Marine Corps to seek other avenues, leading it to officially withdraw from the program. Needless to say, the Vought-Hiller-Ryan XC-142A has never been seen in a branch in American service and has disappeared from aviation history.

Some early USMC CH-53As were delivered to the USAF for pilot and crew training under the new designation "TH-53A". These were extremely low-level helicopters that were stripped of U.S. Marine Corps equipment and painted in what was then the U.S. Air Force camouflage program.

The "VH-53F" was also developed by the CH-53 and used as a VIP transport aircraft.

Austria became one of the first notable prospects for the CH-53A, with two ordered for evaluation in 1968 and delivered sometime in 1970. However, this type of running cost was too expensive for the small country, and the examples were subsequently sold to Israel sometime in 1980.

Israel signed the CH-53 contract after being convinced that the helicopter's potential was related to the Israeli theory of warfare perfected by the Six Day War. Israel has a total of 45 CH-53 "Yas'ur" prototypes, which were later upgraded (to become "CH-53 Yas'ur 2000") through an indigenous modernization program. The first CH-53 squadron was established in August 1970 and has proven itself to meet the needs of the Israeli army. To date, at least 30 CH-53s are believed to remain in service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and have even been commissioned to fight forest fires and deploy/remove elite special forces and their fairly conventional troop transport roles behind enemy lines on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the Israeli CH-53 has suffered some of the deadliest accidents involving this type of helicopter due to the rather high death toll due to its inherently enormous passenger capacity.

There were incidents involving Israeli service in May 1977 (54 killed), February 1997 (73 killed, two CH-53s collided) and July 2010 (7 killed during joint military exercises over Romania). The CH-53 accident.

Germany not only received the CH-53 for export, but also took over the licensed production of the system, a total of 112 units. The American base model (CH-53D) was designated "CH-53G" in German inventory, and production was taken over by VFW-Fokker. Twenty-two examples were assembled in the country, including two pre-production models, while another 90 examples were produced entirely locally.

As part of the modernization program, these engines will now be equipped with T64-100 series turboshaft engines, if funding permits. At least 80 German CH-53D variants are currently known to be in service with extensive operations in Kosovo with the UN coalition and more recently in Afghanistan.

About 20 German CH-53Gs were upgraded to CH-53GS in the late 1990s, with external fuel tanks, improved navigation and communication systems, and additional missile defense kits. These are also equipped with upgraded T64-100 series turboshaft engines and are equipped to support the German MG3 and M3M series general purpose machine guns.

The German CH-53GE model (officially known as CH-53GSX) is a relatively new and upgraded CH-53GS model with 26 prototypes for the desert environment of Afghanistan. These platforms are equipped with improved search and rescue (SAR) capabilities.

The German designation CH-53GA represents about 40 CH-53G models from another modernization program. These have seen improved and improved navigation and communications suites, advanced autopilot features, new flight control systems and a redesigned cockpit.

In addition, FLIR will be added, as well as more internal fuel storage to complement inherent storage and external fuel loading. The model's maiden flight took place in February 2010, and the program is expected to be fully completed sometime in 2013.

Surprisingly, the CH-53 production line - due to its strong natural capabilities - is expected to be in service with some of these forces until 2030 - strong evidence of the success of this high-quality rotor system.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Some 1,800 Choctaws were eventually produced.

Sikorsky H-34 / CH-34 Choctaw Specification

BASICS

MANUFACTURING

ROLES

DIMENSIONS

WEIGHTS

POWER

PERFORMANCE

ARMAMENT

VARIANTS