Tel Aviv: Deliveries of the Sikorsky CH-53K to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) will begin in 2028. The 12 heavy helicopters will be supplied within 36 months. Israel has options for another 6. A new contact awarded to the American manufacturer will enable Israel to buy additions CH-53K that have proven their operational importance during recent fighting.
Last week, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company received a $10.855 billion contract from the US Navy to build up to a maximum of 99 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the US Marine Corps over five years, the largest-quantity order to date for the aircraft.
The award will ensure consistent deliveries of the United States’ most powerful heavy-lift helicopter between 2029 and 2034 and reinforce the US industrial base by sustaining thousands of production roles at Sikorsky and across its nationwide supply chain.
Israeli sources said that the major order of the US navy will give the IAF more flexibility if it decides to acquire more than the six\included in the option.
Last year, the Israel Ministry of Defence (IMOD) signed a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, to integrate unique mission systems and equipment required by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) into 12 CH-53K “Pere” helicopters. The contract was signed by the IMOD Mission to the United States in New York City.
Assembly of all 12 CH-53K aircraft for Israel is currently underway at Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford, Connecticut, USA, as part of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract signed between the IMOD and the US Government several years ago. The 12 new CH-53K helicopters are set to replace the IAF “Yas’ur” helicopters.
Under the signed mission systems contract, Sikorsky will build a separate production line exclusively to modify each aircraft from the standard US Marine Corps configuration to the rigorous operational mission requirements specified by the IAF. Additionally, Sikorsky will integrate avionics, navigation systems, and electronic warfare suites supplied by the IMOD.
Last year, the IAF has updated the list of special Israeli developed system to be installed in its new CH-53K helicopters. The list of special systems is classified but two systems were mentioned during the negotiations- a special Israeli developed EW systems and a new advanced pilot helmet to be developed by Elbit Systems, a leading supplier of pilot helmets.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
