Misplaced Pages

#810189

68-584: In December 2022, the U.S. Army selected the rival Bell V-280 Valor as the winner of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing are jointly producing a medium-lift-sized demonstrator they named SB>1 Defiant (also widely known as "SB-1") for phase one of the program. Originally planned to fly in late 2017, its first flight was delayed in April 2017 to early 2018. Once flight testing begins,

136-549: A $ 8.5 million contract for CH-53K maintenance training aids, such as the Maintenance Training Device Suite (MTDS) and Helicopter Emulation Maintenance Trainer (HEMT). The MTDS is a realistic training and evaluation environment for various avionics, electrical, and hydraulic subsystems. The HEMT is a 3D simulation of multiple scenarios, such as functional test, troubleshoot, fault isolation, removal and installation of 27 subsystems. On 24 January 2014,

204-461: A Sikorsky-Boeing team. The JMR program is not intended to develop a prototype for the next family of vehicles, but to develop technologies and interfaces. The TIAs give the four teams nine months to complete preliminary design of their rotorcraft, which the Army will then review and authorize the construction of two competing demonstrators to fly in 2017. While there is a potential for an early downselect,

272-607: A crew of four and be capable of transporting up to 14 troops. Dual cargo hooks will give it a lift capacity to carry a 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) M777A2 Howitzer while flying at a speed of 150 knots (170 mph; 280 km/h). The fuselage is visually similar to that of the UH-60 Black Hawk medium lift helicopter. When landed, the wing is more than 7 ft (2.1 m) from the ground, allowing soldiers to egress easily out of two 6-foot (1.8 m) wide side doors and door gunners to have wide fields of fire. Although

340-764: A helicopter, the V-280 will have a lower disk loading and longer wing for greater hover and cruise efficiency. In October 2021, Bell and Rolls-Royce jointly announced that the V-280 Valor powerplant would switch from the T64 turboshaft used on the prototype to a derivative of the Rolls-Royce T406 /AE 1107C used on the Osprey, which would be named the AE 1107F. At the same time as increasing power from 5,000 to 7,000 horsepower,

408-421: A honeycomb-stiffened "sandwich" construction with large-cell carbon cores for fewer, larger, and lighter parts. Skins and ribs are paste-bonded together to eliminate fasteners. With these measures, costs are reduced by over 30 percent compared to a scaled V-22 wing. Bell expects the V-280 to cost around the same as an AH-64E or MH-60M . While the Osprey has a higher disk loading and lower hover efficiency than

476-629: A long development period caused problems with the Comanche and not team dysfunctionality. Under the Comanche program, each company built different parts of the aircraft. For JMR, employees from both companies will work together. The team named the suppliers in 2015. Swift Engineering Inc. supports the program with a major portion of the airframe structure designed and manufactured at the company's facility in San Clemente, California by an integrated team of Swift and Boeing employees. The timeline for

544-448: A major program restructuring. Flaws included the engine re-ingesting exhaust gas, limited service life for the rotor gear boxes, late deliveries of redesigned parts, and deficiencies with the tail rotor and driveshaft. It is estimated that the delay will push back delivery of combat-ready CH-53Ks until May 2020. In 2023, an order was placed with Sikorsky Helicopters for 35 CH-53K helicopters for 2.77 billion USD, as production ramped up at

612-602: A more powerful rotor system. Sikorsky proposed the S-80 design to the Marines in 1968. The Marines considered this a good, quick solution, and funded development of a testbed helicopter. Changes on the CH-53E also included a stronger transmission and a fuselage stretched 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m). The main rotor blades' material was changed to a titanium - fiberglass composite . A new automatic flight control system

680-474: A new digital glass cockpit with fly-by-wire controls and haptic feedback , HUMS , a new elastomeric hub system, and composite rotor blades to improve " hot and high " performance. The split torque gearbox with quill shafts started development around 2007. The gearbox assembly including rotor hub and rotating control system weighs around 11,650 lb (5,280 kg). The split torque gearbox weighs 5,270 lb (2,390 kg). For comparison,

748-561: A payload of 36,000 pounds (16,000 kg), the maximum weight on the single center point cargo hook. The first CH-53K was delivered to the USMC on 16 May 2018; at the time, 18 additional helicopters were in production, and the second was planned for delivery in early 2019. In December 2018, the CH-53K was projected to not be combat ready as expected in late 2019, due to delivery delays caused by technical flaws found in testing, which resulted in

SECTION 10

#1732780383811

816-498: A responsible contractor with the competent scientific and technical staff supporting resources required to achieve results. JMR-TD contracts were expected to be awarded in September 2013, with flights scheduled for 2017. In September 2013, Bell announced it would partner with Lockheed Martin to develop the V-280. Lockheed will provide integrated avionics, sensors, and weapons to the aircraft. Additional partners were announced in

884-455: A total of 177. For the airborne mine countermeasures role, the Navy obtained a CH-53E variant, designated MH-53E Sea Dragon , with enlarged sponsons and fuel tanks for greater fuel storage, in the 1980s. The Navy obtained 46 Sea Dragons. The USMC had planned upgrades to retain most CH-53Es, but this effort stalled. Sikorsky proposed a new model, originally designated "CH-53X"; in April 2006,

952-475: Is a Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD) built by Lockheed Martin , Sikorsky's parent company. On 22 April 2022, Lt. General Mark R. Wise , Deputy Commandant for Aviation, declared initial operational capability for the CH-53K. In 2009, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) said it would evaluate the new variant after it flies. In August 2015, it formalized a requirement for the CH-53K, listing

1020-411: Is a heavy transport helicopter designed and produced by Sikorsky Aircraft . The King Stallion is an evolution of the long running CH-53 series of helicopters which has been in continuous service since 1966, and features three up-rated 7,500  shp (5,590  kW ) engines, new composite rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin than its predecessors. It is the largest and heaviest helicopter in

1088-611: Is increased over the CH-53E's 73,500 lb (33,300 kg). The CH-53K will keep approximately the same footprint as the CH-53E. To this end, it has redesigned composite sponsons that cut overall width for a narrower footprint, which is better for shipboard service. In May 2018, the first CH-53K King Stallion was delivered to the USMC. The U.S. Marine Corps received its first CH-53K simulator at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina on 1 May 2020. It

1156-639: The German Air Force's CH-53G heavy lift helicopter replacement program, in which the CH-53K competed against the Boeing CH-47 Chinook . The German Federal Ministry of Defence was expected to issue an official request for information in late 2018, to award a contract in 2020, and for deliveries to begin in 2023 for an expected order of around 40 helicopters. On 29 September 2020, the German Ministry of Defense cancelled

1224-620: The Honeywell T55 , which powers the CH-47 Chinook . It will be slightly modified to better operate at slower propeller speeds, down to 85% rpm. Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Bell V-280 Valor The Bell V-280 Valor is a tiltrotor aircraft being developed by Bell Helicopter for the United States Army 's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. The aircraft

1292-486: The U.S. military . The United States Marine Corps plans to receive 200 helicopters at a total cost of $ 25 billion. Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) testing started in April 2014; flight testing began with the maiden flight on 27 October 2015. In May 2018, the first CH-53K was delivered to the Marine Corps. On 22 April 2022, it was declared to have passed initial operational capability . Israel has also reportedly ordered

1360-701: The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The CH-53K is powered by the General Electric GE38-1B engine, which was selected over the Pratt and Whitney Canada PW150 and a variant of the Rolls-Royce AE 1107C-Liberty used on the V-22 Osprey . Each of the three T408 engines is rated at 7,500 shp (5,600 kW), and gives the CH-53K the ability to fly 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) faster than its CH-53E predecessor. The CH-53K features

1428-580: The " Schwerer Transporthubschrauber " (STH) heavy-lifting helicopter program, it having been judged to be too expensive; instead, the CH-53Gs are still to be replaced after reexamining the project. In 2022, Germany decided to procure the CH-47F Chinook instead, citing interoperability advantages with other European NATO countries—especially the Netherlands—as well as the lower unit cost compared to

SECTION 20

#1732780383811

1496-561: The 30,000-pound-class (14,000 kg) JMR-TD (with a cabin 50% larger than the Black Hawk ) at full scale to remove doubts about the scalability of the X-2 technology. Sikorsky–Boeing states the SB-1 will be quick and nimble, with fast acceleration and deceleration, fast side-to-side movement, and the capability to hover with the tail up and nose down. The Defiant demonstrator will be powered by

1564-785: The 609 for commercial use, and intended to offer the V-280 for military use only. Bell also stated that conventional helicopters were not part of Bell's military future. The Bell V-280 was chosen over the Sikorsky Defiant X on 5 December 2022. Sikorsky filed a protest after losing the contract, but the Government Accountability Office rejected it on the grounds that Bell's submission was more advantageous in more areas while Sikorsky's information had too many deficiencies and did not provide enough detail on how it would meet requirements. In June 2015, Bell's subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems began assembly of

1632-418: The AE 1107 is a known element in tiltrotor aircraft with its two decades of prior use, which lowers sustainment costs and decreases risks of the project. Data from bellflight.com, General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion The Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion ( Sikorsky S-95 )

1700-399: The Army, which leads the program, is not committed to the idea and wants distinct platforms for each mission. Bell and Lockheed claim an AV-280 variant can launch rockets, missiles, and even small unmanned aerial vehicles forward or aft with no rotor interference, even in forward flight and cruise modes with the rotors forward. The V-280 prototype (air vehicle concept demonstrator, or AVCD)

1768-519: The CH-53K GTV ignited its engines, spinning the rotor head without rotors attached. Low-rate production is planned to proceed from 2015 to 2017. Initial operating capability (IOC) was set to occur in 2019, with full-rate production commencing between then and 2022. The USMC intends to have eight active squadrons, one training squadron, and one reserve squadron. In April 2014, testing with blades attached began, system integration followed. Flight testing

1836-569: The CH-53K passed its Critical Design Review, reading it for test production. However, the IOC fielding date was deferred to 2018. Sikorsky proposed building four pre-production aircraft for evaluation. On 4 December 2012, Sikorsky delivered the first CH-53K, a Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) airframe. Early tests included fuel system calibration and attaching test sensors across the airframe to record temperature, aerodynamic load, pressure, and vibration. Two additional static GTVs underwent structural testing at

1904-585: The Defiant X variant, specifically designed for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. In February 2022, Sikorsky-Boeing picked Honeywell's new HTS7500 engine, a derivative of the Honeywell T55 engine that powered the SB-1 demonstrator, as the powerplant. In March 2022, Sikorsky-Boeing has selected Collins Aerospace to provide all three seating platforms and its Perigon as flight control computer . On 5 December 2022,

1972-527: The U.S. Army selected the rival Bell V-280 Valor as the winner of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. Sikorsky and Boeing state the design is to have a cruise speed of 250 kn (460 km/h), but less range due to using the "old" T55 engine. A new engine, the Future Affordable Turbine Engine (FATE), is to meet the radius requirement of 229 nmi (264 mi; 424 km). Compared to conventional helicopters,

2040-505: The US Army. After one year of flight tests, it reached its 280 knots (320 mph; 520 km/h) target by January 2019, as it will continue to expand its flight envelope : low-speed agility, bank angles , and autonomous operations. In December 2020, the V-280 reached 305 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h) as it was flown for over 200 hours. The V-280 is designed for a cruising speed of 280 knots (320 mph; 520 km/h), hence

2108-499: The USMC signed a $ 18.8 billion contract for 156 "CH-53K" helicopters, with deliveries to be completed by 2021. The USMC was to begin retiring CH-53Es in 2009, and needed replacements as rotorcraft reached their structural life limits in 2011–12. CH-53K flight testing was expected to begin in 2011. In August 2007, the USMC increased the order from 156 to 227. By that time, the first flight was planned for November 2011 with initial operating capability (IOC) by 2015. The CH-53K will be

Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-505: The USMC's heavy lift helicopter with the MV-22 (medium lift) and UH-1Y (light lift). A 2007 RAND report on seabasing found that a higher ratio of CH-53Ks to MV-22s would reduce ship-based deployment times. In 2008, design work was well underway, along with weight reduction efforts to meet operational requirements; increased engine performance and rotor blade improvements are options to help meet requirements if needed. The rotor mast tilt

2244-531: The V-280 Valor to continue with the JMR demonstration program. The Boeing - Sikorsky team offering the SB-1 Defiant was also chosen. Announcement of the selections was officially made on 3 October 2014, and the teams began building technology demonstration aircraft for test flights in 2017. Bell unveiled a full-scale mock-up of the V-280 Valor on the floor at AUSA 2014 to showcase the configuration and design of

2312-429: The aircraft will be evaluated by the Army for further development. Sikorsky is leading the development of phase one with an aircraft based on their previous Sikorsky X2 design. Boeing plans to lead phase two, which is the mission systems demonstrator phase. The Boeing-Sikorsky team is seen to have an advantage with their large industrial base that may result in wider support from Congress. Their transport helicopters are

2380-411: The composite fuselage for the first prototype V-280 Valor, which was delivered in September 2015. In total, the design and manufacturing of the fuselage was completed in only 22 months. Although the V-280 is initially planned for the JMR demonstration program, Bell does not anticipate much difference between it and a final FVL entry. By January 2016, the V-280 demonstrator was 23 percent complete, with

2448-505: The counter-rotating coaxial main rotors and pusher propeller offer a 185-knot (213 mph; 343 km/h) speed increase, a 60% combat radius extension, and 50% better performance in high-hot hover operations. Sikorsky has said that the X2 design is not suitable for heavy-lift size, and instead suggests the CH-53K for heavy-lift and tiltrotor for the ultra-class. However, Sikorsky plans to build

2516-644: The end of October 2018, before ground runs in November, then first flight to reach 200 kn (370 km/h) within six months. The first prototype was unveiled in December 2018, and the first flight was pushed to early 2019. Ground runs began in January 2019; 15 hours of ground tests were needed before the first flight. The first flight took place on 21 March 2019 at Sikorsky West Palm Beach site in Florida. In

2584-515: The final twin-engined H-53s, and had extensive avionics upgrades for all-weather operation. In October 1967, the USMC issued a requirement for a helicopter with a lifting capacity 1.8 times that of the CH-53D, that could fit on amphibious assault ships . Before this, Sikorsky had been working on an enhancement to the CH-53D, under the company designation "S-80", featuring a third turboshaft engine and

2652-548: The firm's Stratford manufacturing plant. In January 2013, the program had an estimated cost of US$ 23.17 billion (~$ 29.9 billion in 2023) after procurement of the planned 200 CH-53Ks. In April 2013, the U.S. Navy program manager stated that work had gone well and it may become operational ahead of schedule. On 31 May 2013, the Navy awarded Sikorsky a $ 435 million (~$ 561 million in 2023) contract to deliver four prototype CH-53Ks for evaluation and mission testing; The first two prototypes focused on structural flight loads while

2720-603: The first deployment expected in 2031. In June 2013, Bell Helicopter announced that the V-280 Valor design had been selected by the US Army for the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) phase. The JMR-TD phase is the technology demonstration precursor to Future Vertical Lift (FVL). The Army classified the offering as a Category I proposal, meaning it is a well-conceived, scientifically or technically sound proposal pertinent to program goals and objectives with applicability to Army mission needs, offered by

2788-401: The first flight has slipped several times. Originally scheduled for 2017, delays arose due to a requirement to implement automated fiber placement blade manufacture at the request of the U.S. Army. Further delays resulted in the first flight slipping past summer 2018. Dynamic systems such as turboshafts , transmission , and rotors were scheduled to be tested at West Palm Beach, Florida , by

Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-448: The first international partner recruited for the V-280, will supply the nacelle structures. Textron sister company TRU Simulation & Training will build a high-fidelity marketing simulator and desktop maintenance trainer. In October 2013, the U.S. Army awarded a technology investment agreement (TIA) to Bell for the V-280 Valor tiltrotor under the Joint Multi-Role program. Awards were also given to AVX Aircraft, Karem Aircraft , and

2924-401: The following months, including Moog Inc. for the flight control systems, GE Aviation for the engines, GKN for the tail structure, Spirit AeroSystems for the composite fuselage, Eaton Corporation as the distributor of hydraulics and power generation systems, and Astronics Advanced Electric Systems to design and manufacture power distribution systems. Israel Aerospace Industries ,

2992-565: The four teams are focused on the 2017 flight demonstrations. Each of the four teams received $ 6.5 million from the Army for phase I of the program, although Bell is investing an undisclosed amount of its own money. On 21 October 2013, Bell unveiled the first full-scale mock-up of the V-280 Valor at Association of the United States Army 2013. On 11 August 2014, the Army informed the Bell-Lockheed team that they had chosen

3060-572: The fuselage and wings mated together in early May 2016. The demonstrator aircraft began ground vibration testing in Amarillo in February 2017, with the aircraft reaching 95 percent completion. The demonstrator was undergoing ground testing in October 2017. Bell released a video on 18 December showing the first flight with the area around the pivots blurred. In April 2018, it ran for 75 hours on

3128-663: The ground and flew for 19 hours, up to 80 knots (90 mph; 150 km/h), before transiting to airplane flight by the end of the month. By the end of the month, it attained 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h) with proprotors 60-deg. forward, and is planned to reach its airplane cruise configuration with horizontal pylons in summer. It reached 190 knots (220 mph; 350 km/h) in cruise mode with horizontal propellers in May 2018. After 155 hours of rotor turn time and 70 flight hours, by October 2018 it had reached 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h) at 80% proprotor cruise speed. It

3196-489: The high-speed platform. It is focused on the infantry squad and is to handle much like a helicopter in terms of low-speed agility to have unprecedented pitch, roll, and yaw response for those operations. Roughly the size of the current medium-lift helicopter, the V-280 is designed to travel twice as fast and twice as far. Bell is pitching these capabilities for movement over vast areas like the Pacific. The program director said

3264-474: The initial design is a utility configuration, Bell is also working on an attack configuration. Whether different variants of the V-280 would fill utility and attack roles or a single airframe could interchange payloads for either mission, Bell is confident the Valor tiltrotor platform can fulfill both duties. The U.S. Marine Corps is interested in having one aircraft to replace utility and attack helicopters, but

3332-454: The interior include seats that wirelessly charge troops’ radios, night-vision goggles, and other electronic gear and windows that display three-dimensional mission maps. Special emphasis has been placed on reducing the weight of the V-280 in comparison to the V-22, which would reduce cost. To do this, composites are used extensively in the wing, fuselage, and tail. Wing skins and ribs are made of

3400-440: The manufacturing facility to fill orders. The CH-53K King Stallion is a heavy lift helicopter, being a general redesign of the preceding CH-53E, the main improvements being the new engines and cockpit layout. It has over twice the lift capacity and radius of action of the CH-53E, and a wider cargo hold to allow it to carry a Humvee internally. A new composite rotor blade system is also used, featuring technology similar to that of

3468-699: The most-used in the Army currently. Up to 2013, Sikorsky and partners have spent $ 250 million on X2 and Raider. The team and aircraft will be separate from the S-97 Raider . The team feels confident in the SB-1 Defiant and is paying for more than half of its design costs. The last project the companies teamed up for was the RAH-66 Comanche , which started in the 1980s and cost $ 7 billion before being cancelled in 2004. They say that factors outside their control, like budget cuts, "requirement creep", and

SECTION 50

#1732780383811

3536-418: The name V-280. It has a top speed of 300 knots (345 mph; 556 km/h), a range of 2,100 nautical miles (2,400 mi; 3,900 km), and an effective combat range of 500 to 800 nmi (580 to 920 mi; 930 to 1,480 km). Expected maximum takeoff weight is around 30,000 pounds (14,000 kg). One major difference from the earlier V-22 Osprey tiltrotor is that the engines remain in place while

3604-601: The need for forward arming and refueling points could be eliminated and that one FOB (forward operating base) in the middle of a country, such as Afghanistan, could cover the entire country. Although Bell sold its share in the AW609 program in 2011, Bell continues to work on the AW609 and considers commercial potential for the V-280, as a military mass production of 2,000–4,000 aircraft could reduce unit cost to commercially acceptable levels. In 2016, Bell stated that it preferred

3672-439: The need to break apart pallets between airlifter and helicopter. The CH-53K is to surpass the capability of its predecessor by carrying nearly 30% more than the CH-53E's external payload of 27,000 lb (12,200 kg) over the same radius of 110 nmi (204 km). The CH-53K's payload reaches a maximum of 35,000 lb (15,900 kg). The CH-53K's maximum gross weight will be 88,000 lb (39,900 kg), which

3740-440: The rotors and drive shafts tilt. A driveshaft runs through the straight wing, allowing both prop rotors to be driven by a single engine in the event of engine loss. The V-280 will have retractable landing gear, a triple-redundant fly by wire control system, and a V-tail configuration. The wings are made of a single section of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite, reducing weight and production costs. The V-280 will have

3808-458: The summer of 2019, flights were suspended to address a bearing issue with the main rotor. Flight testing resumed on 24 September 2019. The aircraft reached a speed of 211 knots during level flight in October 2020. By December 2020, the demonstrator had logged 26 flight hours in 31 flights over the 21 months since first flight. By October 2021, the demonstrator reached a top speed of 247 knots in level flight. In January 2021, Sikorsky-Boeing announced

3876-511: The third and fourth validated general performance, propulsion and avionics. Major subcontractors include Aurora Flight Sciences (main rotor pylon), Exelis Aerostructures (tail rotor pylon and sponsons), GKN Aerospace (aft transition), Onboard Systems International (external cargo hook), Rockwell Collins (avionics management system), Sanmina-SCI Corporation (communications), and Spirit AeroSystems (cockpit and cabin). In October 2013, Sikorsky gave Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

3944-508: The twin-engine Mil Mi-26 's split torque gearbox weighs 8,020 lb (3,639 kg). The CH-53K has an improved external cargo handling system, survivability enhancements, and improvements to extend service life. The cabin will be 30 ft (9.14 m) long by 9 ft (2.74 m) wide by 6.5 ft (1.98 m) tall. Its cabin will be 1 ft (30 cm) wider and 15% larger, but will have new shorter composite sponsons. The CH-53K can carry two 463L master pallets , eliminating

4012-631: The type as a "very high priority" item to enable the service to perform missions only the platform is capable of. Israel's current CH-53 "Yasur" fleet is to remain operational until 2025. The CH-53K competed with the Boeing CH-47F Chinook for an order of approximately 20 helicopters to replace the CH-53 Yasur. In February 2021, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the CH-53K's selection. On 31 December 2021, it

4080-510: The type; other potential export customers include Japan. The Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion came out of the US Marine Corps' (USMC) "Heavy Helicopter Experimental" (HH(X)) competition begun in 1962. Sikorsky 's S-65 was selected over Boeing Vertol 's modified CH-47 Chinook version. The prototype YCH-53A first flew on 14 October 1964. It was designated CH-53A Sea Stallion , delivery of production helicopters began in 1966. The CH-53A

4148-405: Was added. The vertical tail was also enlarged, with the tail rotor tilted upwards slightly to provide some lift in hover. The initial YCH-53E first flew in 1974. Following successful testing, the initial production contract was awarded in 1978, and service introduction followed in February 1981. The US Navy acquired the CH-53E in small numbers for shipboard resupply. The Marines and Navy acquired

SECTION 60

#1732780383811

4216-463: Was announced that Israel had signed a deal to buy 12 CH-53Ks. In August 2023, Sikorsky announced they had been awarded a contract by the US Navy for 35 helicopters at a total cost of $ 2.77 billion, including eight aircraft for Israel. Japan has reportedly shown interest in the CH-53K. In February 2018, Sikorsky signed an agreement valued at around €4 billion with Rheinmetall to team up for

4284-487: Was decreased and components shifted to ensure the center of gravity does not shift too far rearward as fuel is burned. Design requirements were frozen in 2009–10. On 22 January 2010, Sikorsky opened a $ 20 million Precision Components Technology Center in Stratford, Connecticut , for producing CH-53K parts, such as the rotating and stationary swashplates , main and tail rotor hubs, and main rotor sleeves. On 3 August 2010,

4352-785: Was equipped with two T64-GE-6 turboshaft engines, and had a maximum gross weight of 46,000 pounds (21,000 kg). Variants of the original CH-53A Sea Stallion include the RH-53A/D, HH-53B/C, CH-53D, CH-53G, and MH-53H /J/M . The RH-53A and RH-53D were used by the United States Navy for minesweeping . The CH-53D had a more powerful version of the General Electric T64 engine, used in all H-53 variants, and external fuel tanks. The US Air Force 's HH-53B/C Super Jolly Green Giant were for special operations and combat rescue. The Air Force's MH-53H/J/M Pave Low were

4420-447: Was flown to a 45° bank angle at up to 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h), achieved a 4,500 ft/min (23 m/s) climb rate at 160 kn (180 mph; 300 km/h), exceeded 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h) with less than 50% torque, and recorded a peak load factor of 1.9 g. Its longest flight covered 370 mi (320 nmi; 600 km) as it performed a ferry flight to Arlington, Texas to continue testing closer to

4488-597: Was officially unveiled at the 2013 Army Aviation Association of America's (AAAA) Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth, Texas. The V-280 made its first flight on 18 December 2017 in Amarillo, Texas. On 5 December 2022, the V-280 was chosen by the US Army as the winner of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk . As of April 2024, limited user tests are planned for 2027 to 2028 with

4556-413: Was powered by the General Electric T64 . The specific engine for the model performance specification (MPS) was unknown at the time, but has funding from the Army's future affordable turbine engine (FATE) program. The V-tail structure and ruddervators, made by GKN, will provide high levels of maneuverability and control to the airframe. It will be made of a combination of metals and composites. Features in

4624-420: Was set to start in late 2014, each test aircraft flying approximately 500 hours over three years. The maiden flight was delayed, due to issues with the titanium quill shafts in the transmission and gear box. On 5 May 2014, General James F. Amos announced during the official rollout that it will be called the "King Stallion". On 27 October 2015, the CH-53K took its first flight. On 7 March 2018, one lifted

#810189