The CH-53E Super Stallion is the Marines' big and battered workhorse.
These tri-motored flying barns have seen continuous service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and
were involved in almost all of America's conflicts since they entered service in 1980.
The USMC need a big ass new chopper, and the CH-53K "King Stallion" hopes to be just that.
The King Stallion does share in the basic CH-53 design configuration, but really it's
a brand new helicopter in the same manner as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is to the F/A-18A/C
Hornet.
Although the CH-53K is not a "game changing" weapon system, it does trump the CH-53E in
the following ways:
Power: Her three jet turbine motors put out 7,500 HP each, about 50% more than the CH-53E's
engines.
This extra power will allow for the CH-53K to lift heavier loads, over longer distances
and will especially improve upon the CH-53E's already capable hot and high performance.
Speed: Cruise speed will be a whopping 315 kilometre per hour for the King Stallion,
compared to the already fast CH-53E which cruises at 278 kilometre per hour.
Top-end for this beast will be an eye watering 370 kilometre per hour.
Heavy Lifting: The goal for the King Stallion is to carry a whopping 15 tons of crap slung
externally below the aircraft for over 177 km.
This is a massive increase over the CH-53.
The CH-53K's maximum gross weight will be close to 38,400 kg.
This is over 4,500 kg more than the CH-53E it replaces although its outward dimensions
are almost identical.
Structure: High strength composites were used for a large majority of the CH-53 K's airframe
construction instead of traditional steel and aluminum.
Controls: The CH-53K will have a state of the art "smart" glass cockpit, its engines
will have a multi-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control system, and its pilot's flight
control inputs will be processed through a fully integrated fly-by-wire system.
Drivetrain: This monster packs a drivetrain that weighs in over 5,900 kg.
Including its composite blades just the aircraft's drivetrain approaches the weight of an entire
Russian Mi-8 Hip helicopter.
The tail rotor alone has as much thrust as the main rotor on a S-76 medium weight helicopter.
Internal Capacity: The King Stallion will be over a metre wider than its predecessor
and its cabin will have about 15% more volume.
Probably the nicest thing about this bigger cabin space is that two full sized master
pallets can now be carried internally.
In the past, crews would have to break down a master pallet's contents and then repack
it before the CH-53E could haul it to its final destination.
Just this capability alone will greatly reduce manpower and increase sortie rates.
Additionally, the "Kilo's" increased cabin width allows the CH-53K to haul a Humvee internally.
Weapon System Integration: The CH-53E has been very much a "work in progress" since
its first flight, with FLIR turrets, gun mounts, communications systems, self defense countermeasures
and other systems being lashed on over time.
The King Stallion will have all these capabilities integrated into its original design, along
with a trio of 50cal machine guns, and its design allows for easy additions of new systems
in the future.
Visibility: The King Stallion's larger window-line and snub nose will offer enhanced situational
awareness for its crews via better outward visibility when compared with the CH-53E.
Operating Costs: The Super Stallion is an extremely expensive aircraft to fly, with
per-hour flight costs hitting well over $20k an hour and it takes over 40 man hours of
maintenance per flight hour to keep an "Echo" running.
The CH-53K, with its internal health monitoring system and modern sub-systems, is targeted
to be less than half that per hour flight cost.
General characteristics: Crew: 5: 2 pilots, 1 crew chief/right gunner,
1 left gunner, 1 tail gunner (combat crew) Capacity: 37 troops (55 with centerline seats
installed) Payload: 15,900 kg
Length: 30.2 m Rotor diameter: 24 m
Height: 8.46 m Empty weight: 15,071 kg
Loaded weight: 33,600 kg Max.
takeoff weight: 38,400 kg
Performance: Cruise speed: 315 km/h
Range:852 km no reserves Combat radius: 204 km
Service ceiling: 4,380 m Rate of climb: 13 m/s
Armament:
Guns: 2 window-mounted .50 BMG (12.7 mm) M3M/GAU-21
machine guns 1 ramp-mounted .50 BMG (12.7 mm) M3M/GAU-21
machine gun
Other: Chaff and flare dispensers
The aircraft is slated to cost about $110M each with research and development costs rolled
in.
There is no real new aircraft alternative to the CH-53K, and even with the meat clever
that is the sequester looming overhead, the program seems secure, at least for now.
If its costs continue to rise and its timeline continues to unravel further then talk of
a CH-53E recapitalization (refurbishment and upgrade) may come to pass, at least for a
portion of the Marine's 200 aircraft requirement.
As less new aircraft are bought over a period of time the unit price increases.
As the cost of each aircraft goes up the total buy has to decrease to remain within a program's
set budget unless scarce funds can be diverted.
This is what is called the procurement "death spiral" in Pentagon parlance, and every over-budget,
behind schedule defense program is prone to it, including the "high-priority" CH-53K,
albeit its fiscal and timeline issues seem tame compared to other major current weapons
programs.
Let's hope the "King Stallion" can rapidly get back on track and prove to the American
taxpayer and the warfighter that it is worthy of its crown.
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