Sikorsky CH - 53K Super Stallion The Sikorsky CH - 53K Super Stallion is a large , heavy - lift cargo helicopter currently being developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps . The design features three engines , new composite rotor blades , and a wider cabin than previous CH - 53 variants . It will be the largest and heaviest helicopter in the U . S . military . It is planned to deliver 200 helicopters at a total cost of over $ 23bn ; flight testing is due to start in 2014 . Development . H - 53 background . The CH - 53 was the product of the US Marine Corps ' " 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 October 14 , 1964 . The helicopter was designated " CH - 53A Sea Stallion " and delivery of production helicopters began in 1966 . The CH - 53A is equipped with T64 - GE - 6 shaft turbine and has a max gross weight of 46 , 000 lb ( 20 , 865 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 mine sweeping . The CH - 53D included 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 helicopters were the last of the twin engined H - 53s and were equipped with extensive avionics upgrades for all weather operation . In October 1967 , the US Marine Corps issued a requirement for a helicopter with a lifting capacity 1 . 8 times that of the CH - 53D and would fit on amphibious assault ship s . 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 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 were changed to a titanium - fiberglass composite . A new automatic flight control system was added . The tail configuration was also changed to a larger vertical tail with the tail rotor tilted slightly to provide some lift in hover . In 1974 , the initial YCH - 53E first flew . 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 a total of 177 . For the airborne mine countermeasures role , the Navy later ordered a CH - 53E version designated " MH - 53E Sea Dragon " with enlarged sponsons and fuel tanks for greater fuel storage . The MH - 53E began to be used by the Navy in 1986 . The Navy obtained 46 Sea Dragons . CH - 53K . The US Marine Corps had been planning to upgrade most of their CH - 53Es to keep them in service , but this plan stalled . Sikorsky then proposed a new version , originally the " CH - 53X " , and in April 2006 , the USMC signed a contract for 156 aircraft as the " CH - 53K " valued at $ 18 . 8 billion with deliveries to be completed by 2021 . The Marines were planning to start retiring CH - 53Es in 2009 and needed new helicopters very quickly as some aircraft would start hitting their structural life limits in 2011 - 12 . Flight testing of the CH - 53K was expected to begin in 2011 . The CH - 53K is a general redesign of the CH - 53E . The main improvements are new engines and cockpit layout . The CH - 53K will have 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 . However , the CH - 53K will feature new stubby composite sponsons to cut overall width , giving the helicopter a narrower footprint for shipboard operations . It will also be equipped with a new composite rotor blade system , with technology similar to that currently found on the UH - 60 Black Hawk helicopter . The CH - 53K will use the General Electric GE38 - 1B engine . This engine beat out the Pratt and Whitney Canada PW150 and a derivative of the Rolls - Royce AE 1107C - Liberty used on the V - 22 Osprey . Sikorsky has announced its major subcontractors : Aurora Flight Sciences ( main rotor pylon ) , ITT Integrated Structures ( tail rotor pylon and sponsons ) , GKN Aerospace ( aft transition ) , Onboard Systems International ( external cargo hook system ) , Rockwell Collins ( avionics management system ) , Sanmina - SCI Corporation ( Intercommunications System ) , and Spirit AeroSystems ( cockpit and cabin ) . In August 2007 , the USMC increased its order of CH - 53Ks from 156 to 227 . In 2007 , first flight was planned for November 2011 with initial operating capability ( IOC ) by 2015 . When the CH - 53K enters service , it will serve as the USMC ' s heavy lift helicopter with the MV - 22 ( medium lift ) and UH - 1Y ( light lift ) . RAND released a report in 2007 on seabasing that suggested a higher ratio of CH - 53Ks to MV - 22s would reduce deployment times from naval ships . In 2008 , design work was well underway . Progress was being made in weight reduction efforts to meet operational requirements . Increases in engine performance and rotor blade improvements are options to help meet requirements if needed . The rotor mast tilt angle was decreased and components shifted to ensure the center of gravity does not shift too far rearward as fuel is burned . On 22 January 2010 , Sikorsky Aircraft opened a $ 20 million Precision Components Technology Center in Stratford , Connecticut which will focus on production of the CH - 53K . This facility will produce the rotating and stationary swashplates , main and tail rotor hubs , and main rotor sleeves among other parts . On 3 August 2010 , the CH - 53K passed Critical Design Review ( CDR ) , and the program is ready for test production . However , the IOC fielding date was deferred to 2018 . Sikorsky had proposed to build four pre - production aircraft for operational evaluations . On 4 December 2012 , Sikorsky delivered the first CH - 53K , a Ground Test Vehicle ( GTV ) airframe . It will be put through many hours of powered ground checks . Preliminary tests will include calibrating the aircraft ' s fuel system and attaching measuring devices at various test locations on the airframe to record temperature , aerodynamic loads , pressure and vibrations . Two additional static ground test articles are undergoing structural testing at the company ' s main manufacturing plant in Stratford , Connecticut . In January 2013 , the program was estimated to cost US $ 23 . 17 billion after procurement of the planned 200 CH - 53K helicopters . In April 2013 , the U . S . Navy program manager commented that development of the CH - 53K was " proceeding so well " that it might become operational ahead of schedule . The first flight vehicle is scheduled for delivery in late 2013 ; flight testing is planned for 2014 and a production decision in August 2015 . On 31 May 2013 , the Navy awarded Sikorsky a $ 435 million contract to deliver four prototype CH - 53Ks for operational evaluation and mission testing ; all four are expected to be delivered by March 2017 . Israeli Air Force has shown strong interest in purchasing the CH - 53K to replace its existing CH - 53 fleet . In 2009 , the service said it would evaluate the new variant after it flies . On 1 October 2013 , Sikorsky issued an $ 8 . 5 million contract to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the design and development of maintenance training systems for the CH - 53K . The contract includes a full - fidelity Maintenance Training Device Suite ( MTDS ) and a Helicopter Emulation Maintenance Trainer ( HEMT ) for the Marine Corps . The full - fidelity MTDS provides a true - to - life environment for training and evaluating the maintainers of multiple subsystems on the CH - 53K platform . It supports maintenance training as well as remove - and - replace training for avionics systems , electrical systems , hydraulic systems , and other mechanical subsystems . The HEMT uses a 3D virtual environment to support maintenance training scenarios . It will provide Marine CH - 53K Enlisted Aircrew and maintainers with an accurate environment to train functional tests , fault isolation , troubleshooting , and remove and installation for 27 subsystems . Design . The CH - 53K is a general redesign with new engines and cockpit layout . The CH - 53K will use General Electric GE38 - 1B engines rated at each and will be able to fly faster than its CH - 53E predecessor . It will feature a new digital glass cockpit with fly - by - wire controls , a new elastomeric hub system , and composite rotor blades to improve " hot and high " performance . The CH - 53K will also include an improved external cargo handling system , survivability enhancements , and improvements to extend service life . The cabin will be long by wide by tall . Its cabin will be wider and 15 % larger , but will have new shorter composite sponsons . The CH - 53K is to surpass the capability of the CH - 53E by carrying nearly double the external payload of over the same radius of . The CH - 53K ' s payload reaches a maximum of . The CH - 53K ' s maximum gross weight will be , which is increased over the CH - 53E ' s . The CH - 53K will keep approximately the same footprint as the CH - 53E . The CH - 53K can carry two 463L master pallet s , eliminating the need to break apart pallets between airlifter and helicopter . Specifications ( CH - 53K ) . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > = data for K model . All others for E model .