Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced Tuesday the first successful flight of the U.S. Marine Corps' CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter prototype at its facility in West Palm Beach, Florida.
"We have entered a much anticipated phase in this developmental program," said Col. Hank Vanderborght, U.S. Marine Corps Program Manager for Heavy Lift Helicopters, in a statement.
"We have experienced significant learning at the system and sub-system levels, which continues to build our confidence in the capabilities of the 53K. With first flight behind us, we look forward to execution of the development and operational testing and the deployment of this incredible heavy lift capability to our warfighters."
The CH-53K is the latest evolution of its predecessor, the three-engine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter, and seeks to triple the payload to 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles under "high hot" ambient conditions.
Sikorsky reported that the CH-53K features "a modern glass cockpit; fly-by-wire flight controls; fourth-generation rotor blades with anhedral tips; a low-maintenance elastomeric rotor head; upgraded engines; a locking, United States Air Force pallet compatible cargo rail system; external cargo handling improvements; survivability enhancements; and improved reliability, maintainability and supportability."
Initial Operational Capability is expected in 2019 and the U.S. Department of Defense's Program of Record remains at 200 aircraft. Eight active-duty squadrons are currently being planned by the Marine Corps, in addition to one training and one reserve squadron.
According to Reuters, Lockheed Martin Corp. is expected to complete its $9 billion takeover of Sikorsky, which is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., by early November at the latest.
VIDEO: The U.S. Marine Corps aviation mission continues. Watch the successful #CH53Kff here;
Posted by Sikorsky Aircraft on Tuesday, October 27, 2015