Sikorsky contracted for four CH-53K prototypes at $435M
Source: US DoD, 31-May-13
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $435,315,279 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-06-C-0081) to procure four CH-53K System Demonstration Test Article aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn. (17 percent); West Palm Beach, Fla. (17 percent); Wichita, Kan.(15 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (10 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (4 [...]
Eurocopter opens its Systemhaus helicopter development center
Source: Eurocopter, 16-May-13
Eurocopter today officially opened its new Systemhaus helicopter development center at Donauwörth, Germany today in the presence of Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer. The facility, which provides workspace for some 900 employees, offers complete system capa-bility for the global helicopter market leader’s production activity at its German location – a key aspect of the company’s [...]
Israel receives surplus CH-53s for spares
Source: FlightGlobal, 22-Mar-13
Five surplus US military Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopters purchased for use as spares have arrived in Israel (see full story)
ATK awarded contract for AAR-47 missile warning systems
Source: ATK, 12-Dec-12
ATK (NYSE: ATK) has received a $48-million production contract from the U.S. Navy for the manufacturing of the AAR-47 Missile Warning System. The award encompasses production of new assemblies, including optical sensor converters and computer processors, as well as options for retrofitting weapon replaceable assembly upgrades and delivery of ATK’s Countermeasures Signal Simulator (CSS) to [...]
Sikorsky awarded $14M contract for H-53, H-60 work
Source: US DoD, 05-Nov-12
Sikorsky Support Services Inc., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $14,445,433 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for contractor field services (CFS) in support of the contractor engineering technical services program for H-53, H-60 helicopters and associated systems. CFS technical services will provide aviation core disciplines including: Airframe, Electrical, and Logistics Support Representatives. Services will include on-and- [...]
Rockwell-Collins awarded $17M contract for Nav/Comm repairs
Source: US DoD, 11-Oct-12
Rockwell-Collins Inc., Government Systems Division, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $17,172,085 requirements contract for the repair of navigational and communication components for the E2C, EA-6B, F/A-18, P-3, H-1, H-46, H45-D aircraft, and the H53 and H60 helicopters. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (80 percent) and Atlanta, Ga., (20 percent), and [...]
GE awarded $8.2M modification to H-53 contract
Source: US DoD, 30-Jul-12
General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded an $8,237,834 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously issued order against a basic ordering agreement (FA8122-09-G-0001-M81) for the procurement of 1,068 T64 variable guide vane linkage improvement kits in support of the H-53 aircraft. The work will be performed in Lynn, Mass., and is expected to be completed [...]
Sikorsky awarded $9M for H-53 swashplate and gearbox work
Source: US DoD, 24-May-12
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $9,064,199 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00383-06-D-003F) for the incorporation of two Naval Air Systems Command approved engineering change proposals supporting the H-53 helicopter: Dynamic Component Change No. 97 swashplate, and Dynamic Component Change No. 94 gearbox. Work for the nose gearboxes will be [...]
“Sikorsky 2025” project extends life of vital helicopter
Source: Israel Defence Force, 24-Jan-12
The project to improve the Sikorsky CH 53 helicopter, “Sikorsky 2025” has come a long way in recent years. In order to upgrade the helicopter, old systems were removed, other systems upgraded, and new systems added. This month, the upgrades have made a large step forward, with all new systems receiving operational status. “The significance [...]
CPI Aero to present at Noble Financial Capital Markets conference
Source: CPI Aero, 11-Jan-12
CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (“CPI Aero®”) (NYSE Amex: CVU) today announced that its President & CEO, Edward Fred, will present at the Noble Financial Capital Markets Eighth Annual Equity Conference on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 10:30 am ET at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Hollywood, FL. Investors will be able to access the [...]
Israeli military set up memorial for Romania crash
Source: Israeli Defence Forces, 13-Sep-11
Time stopped in the IAF as reports came in on Monday July 26th 2010 that contact had been lost with an IAF CH-53 Sikorsky helicopter that was training in Romania. As time passed, it became clear that the crew had been killed in the accident. The training session last year was planned in advance, one [...]
Hawaii Army National Guard re-equips with CH-47F
Source: US Army, 12-Sep-11
FORD ISLAND, Hawaii — A few weeks short of the 50th anniversary of CH-47 Chinook’s maiden flight, the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and the Hawaii Army National Guard held an equipping ceremony Sept. 8 to welcome the CH-47F Chinook to Hawaii. More than 400 Soldiers and guests filled the Pacific Aviation Museum’s museum’s’ historic Hangar [...]
New Super Stallions for HMH-463 Pegasus
Source: US Marine Corps, 08-Sep-11
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay – Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 “Pegasus” welcomed the new arrival of two CH-53E Super Stallions at Hanger 102 at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay Sept. 7. Two more Super Stallions will join the other arrivals Sept. 10 marking the first four of 12 Super Stallions replacing the [...]
Sea Stallions’ first forward refueling takes fight farther south
Source: US Marine Corps, 29-Aug-11
PATROL BASE WOLFPACK, Helmand province, Afghanistan — From this remote desert outpost just miles from the Pakistani border, two Marine Corps attack helicopters were heard before they were seen. “Four miles out,” shouted Capt. Orion Jones over the growing percussion of their blades. Jones’ Marines emptied out of their waiting heavy-lift helicopter, running with a [...]
First GE38 engine delivered for Marine Corps CH-53K program
Source: General Electric, 09-Aug-11
GE has delivered the first engine for the Sikorsky CH-53K Ground Test Vehicle culminating two years of successful testing that has convincingly demonstrated the engine’s ability to provide the increased mission capability required for United States Marine Corps (USMC) missions. “Every day, testing has validated our design philosophy and reinforced our confidence in our ability [...]
Rockwell Collins awarded $10M modification for CH-53E avionics
Source: US DoD, 25-Jul-11
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $9,559,558 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-09-C-0069) to exercise an option to provide AN/ARC-210(V) Electronic Radio and Ancillary Equipment for CH-53E CNS/ATM. The contract provides for the following quantities (54) RT-1851A(C)/ARC receiver-transmitters; (54) C-12561A/ARC control, radio sets. The contract will also provide for [...]
General Nucleonic awarded $22M contract for H-53 main rotor blade components
Source: US DoD, 12-Jun-11
General Nucleonic, Pomona, Calif., is being awarded a $22,159,590 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for repair of components for the main rotor blade system for the H53 helicopter. Work will be performed in Pomona, Calif., and is expected to be completed by June 2016. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. [...]
Vietnamese delegates tour Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
Source: US Marine Corps, 09-Jun-11
A Vietnamese delegation visited Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay June 7 to gain a better understanding of how the air station maintains 40-year-old Vietnam-era CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters. Lt. Gen. Trần Quang Khuê, deputy chief of the general staff, People’s Army of Vietnam, was one of five Vietnamese [...]
HMX-1 ‘Big Irons’ reassigned to operating forces
Source: US Marine Corps, 15-Apr-11
After 44 years of service at the Corps’ most historic helicopter squadron, the last CH-53 helicopters from Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 will soon be reassigned to the operating forces. The CH-53s will be redistributed as part of the Marine Corps fiscal year 2011 aviation campaign plan, which will increase the Corps’ number of CH53E helicopter [...]
General Electric awarded $10M delivery order for CH-53 engine reliability program
Source: US DoD, 01-Apr-11
General Electric Co., Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $9,949,990 firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-10-G-0007) for the procurement of 59 PPC109 kits for the Engine Reliability Improvement Program in support of the CH-53 Program. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass. (87 percent), and Madisonville, Ky. (13 percent), and [...]
USMC mechanic dies after CH-53 landing gear collapse
Source: HeliHub.com, 22-Mar-11
According to the Naval Safety Center, the sergeant died after he was pinned under a CH-53E helicopter after the landing gear collapsed when the landing gear pin was pulled. HeliHub.com adds a separate page for every reported incident, including details of the particular helicopter and links to online reports of the event. see 17-Mar-11 Sikorsky [...]
Marine Corps brings large presence to Naval Aviation centenary
Source: US Marine Corps, 17-Feb-11
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — One hundred and eighty-nine Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft participated in the “Parade of Flight” to celebrate 100 years of Naval aviation, Feb. 12, in San Diego. Nearly 120 aircraft from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing flew from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Base [...]
General Electric continues development of CH-53K engine
19-Jan-11
GE completed its First Engine to Test phase for the GE38-1B in May 2010. This program focused on operability testing for stall margins, engine vibration, and FADEC functions. GE collected data on more than 600 parameters during the FETT phase. The GE38 features a more rugged compressor designed to icrease durability, while being resistant to [...]
Rockwell Collins awarded $7.6M contract for CH-53E avionics upgrades
Source: US DoD, 19-Jan-11
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $7,618,512 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-09-C-0069) to exercise an option to provide AN/ARC-210(V) Electronic Radio and Ancillary equipment in support of the CH-53E program, to include 132 each: MT-4935 Mounting Bases; MT-7006 Amplifier Mounts; AM-7526 High Power Amplifiers; MX-11745 LNA Diplexer w/ [...]
BWB and CAE select Barco displays to upgrade German Army helicopter simulators
Source: Barco, 05-Jan-11
Visualization pioneer Barco is proud to announce that it has been selected by flight simulation leader CAE to supply projection technology for the helicopter simulators at the Army Aviation School based in Bückeburg Germany. Under the terms of the contract, Barco will upgrade eleven helicopter simulators with a total of 88 Barco SIM 7 high-resolution [...]
CH-53E flies with upgraded glass cockpit
Source: US Navy, 14-Dec-10
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Marine Corps’ 235th birthday, Nov. 10, marked the first flight here of the Marine Corps first CH-53E helicopter equipped with a new glass cockpit and avionics upgrade. Now that the first flight has been accomplished, the upgraded CH-53E Super Sea Stallion will now begin flight test [...]
Germany sends two CH-53s to fight Israeli fires
05-Dec-10
Germany has committed two helicopters to help Israeli fight their worst ever forest fire
Sikorsky plans new facility for CH-53K transmission testing
Source: CT Post, 01-Nov-10
The planned 12,000 square-foot building is one-story with a mezzanine for storage The structure would not expand the footprint of Sikorsky’s Stratford campus.
Rockwell Collins awarded $6.3M contract for ADS-B integration on H-53s
Source: US Dept of Defense, 18-Oct-10
Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $6,313,475 order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00421-06-G-0006) for the integration of operational flight programs for the Communication, Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/AQTM) Program and automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) on the H-53 series aircraft. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, [...]
Goodrich awarded $5.7M contract to fit HUMS in 19 MH-53s
Source: US Dept of Defense, 17-Oct-10
Goodrich Corp., Sensors and Integrated Systems, Vergennes, Vt., is being awarded a $5,765,474 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0298) for the procurement of 19 MH-53 integrated mechanical diagnostic and health usage monitoring system units. Work will be performed in Vergennes, Vt., and is expected to be completed in September 2011. Contract funds will [...]
Sikorsky awarded $118M contract modification for H-53 components logistical support
Source: US Dept of Defense, 30-Sep-10
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded an $118,944,070 firm-fixed-price requirements contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00383-06-D-003F) for logistics support for components of the H-53 helicopter. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and work is expected to be completed by September 2015. Contract funds will not expire before the end of [...]
CH-53K conducts successful APU “Light-Off”
Source: Sikorsky, 30-Aug-10
The CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopter Program has achieved “Ready to Load” (RTL) condition with the successful light-off of its first Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) engine. The achievement signals that the program is ready to begin formal integration testing in early 2011. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX). The APU provides [...]
CH-53s from USS Peleliu launch for Pakistan relief
Source: US Navy, 12-Aug-10
Two Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit launched from the flight deck of the Navy amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu today as part of the continued U.S. humanitarian assistance to Pakistan in support of flood relief from a recent monsoo The helicopters are the first two aircraft of 19 [...]
Northrop Grumman awarded $77M contract for CH-53 and CH-46 IR countermeasures
Source: US DoD, 12-Aug-10
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded an undefinitized contract action with an estimated value of $77,655,380 for the procurement of 121 AN/AAQ-24(V) 25 Guardian laser transmitter assemblies for installation on CH-53D, CH-53E, and CH-46E helicopters, including associated technical data. The guardian laser transmitter assembly, a component of the large aircraft infrared [...]
CH-53E Super Stallion saves AW101 Merlin
Source: US Marine Corps, 30-Jun-10
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan — A CH-53E Super Stallion flew across the dawning sun here June 26 as it returned with an 18,000-pound piece of vital cargo slung beneath its belly. The sight of the aircraft against the painted morning sky was impressive on two accounts – the vision of the silhouetted helicopter floating in Afghanistan’s [...]
CPI Aero wins $1.2M MH-53E contract from Sikorsky
Source: CPI Aero, 11-Jun-10
CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (“CPI Aero(R)”) announced today that it has received a contract from Sikorsky Aerospace Services valued at $1.2 million to provide tow assemblies for the MH-53E “Sea Dragon” helicopter. Delivery of these assemblies, which will be used as spares, will begin in late 2010. Sikorsky Aerospace Services is the worldwide aftermarket division of [...]
CPI Aero announces $708K CH-53 contract from Sikorsky
Source: CPI Aero, 09-Jun-10
CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (“CPI Aero(R)”) announced today that it has received a contract from Sikorsky Aerospace Services valued at approximately $708,000 to provide rotary wing head ring assemblies for the MH-53 and CH-53 variant helicopters. Sikorsky Aerospace Services is the worldwide aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. The ring [...]
Sikorsky CH-53GA makes its debut at ILA 2010
Source: Shephard, 09-Jun-10
The aircraft on display is the second prototype, which first flew at the end of May, making its fifth and sixth flights to get to the show from the Eurocopter facility at Donauworth
FRC East delivers last AMARG H-53
Source: US Navy, 08-Jun-10
Fleet Readiness Center East delivered the last H-53E to come out of desert retirement to Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 302, May 7. When the depot inducted Bureau Number 161181 in August 2008, it marked the end of the depot pulling H-53E aircraft from the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, for [...]
The CH-53K Conspiracy
04-May-10
First flight won’t take place for three years, and the CH-53K won’t enter service until 2015. Technical problems are blamed, although helicopter advocates imply that the marines don’t want to take money away from their MV-22 program to keep the CH-53K program on schedule.
Sikorsky awards Cobham contract for CH-53K blades
Source: London Evening Standard, 18-Feb-10
Defence group Cobham has won a contract to make components for US army helicopters, helping its American expansion plans.
Maiden flight of CH-53GA right on schedule at Eurocopter’s Donauworth plant
Source: Eurocopter, 10-Feb-10
Donauwörth, February 10, The CH-53GA medium-lift military transport helicopter successfully completed its maiden flight over the Bavarian town of Donauwörth today before an admiring crowd of approximately 150 guests. Eurocopter test pilot Rene Nater and flight engineer Antoine Van Gent were at the controls. This first flight came just three years after the contract was [...]
Haiti – 22nd MEU heads out with UH-1 and CH-53 helicopters
Source: JD News, 15-Jan-10
In addition to three Navy ships, the MEU will deploy with CH-53E Super Stallion and UH-1 Huey helicopters, as well as 7-ton trucks, forklifts and other earth-moving equipment, supplies and water purification instruments.
CAE awarded contract to update German CH-53 full-mission simulators
Source: CAE, 28-Aug-09
CAE has been awarded a contract by Eurocopter to perform major upgrades on two CAE-built CH-53 full-mission simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School at Buckeburg.
Eurocopter signs contract to retrofit 26 Bundeswehr CH-53s for personnel recovery missions
Source: Eurocopter, 19-Jun-09
The contract is worth around 24.9 million euros, with a large part going to the medium-sized German equipment industry. The first retrofitted helicopter is scheduled for delivery in early 2010.
Northrop Grumman to Equip Directional Infrared Countermeasures System Onboard U.S. Marine Corps CH-53D and CH-46E Helicopters
Source: Northrop Grumman, 08-Jan-09
Becker Avionics’ Warning Tone Generator WTG900 selected for German Armed Forces’ CH-53GA transport helicopter avionics upgrade program
Source: RotorNews, 02-Jan-09
Eurocopter signs order to retrofit six more Bundeswehr CH-53Gs
Source: Eurocopter, 29-May-08
Eurocopter signs order to retrofit six more Bundeswehr CH53Gs
