More CH-53K King Stallions Coming the USMC’s Way, and They’re Cheaper

To date, a very small number of such helicopters have been made. The USMC has a 200-units strong order placed with Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky, with only three of them delivered so far and nine others confirmed this week as heading toward USMC’s way as soon as 2024.

The King Stallion has been designed to carry troops and equipment from ship to shore or high altitudes when needed by military operations. It is powered by three General Electric turboshaft engines that develop 7,500 shaft horsepower and can carry quite the load.

The helicopter is large enough to carry either troops (about 30 soldiers) or cargo in the form of pallets or even military Humvees without removing troop seats. It can also carry things on the outside, dangling from the three external cargo hooks that can lift 36,000 pounds (16,300 kg) of weight.

The aircraft is relatively new and so far has flown some 1,200 test hours, reaching all demands regarding “high altitude, hot temperature, and degraded visual environment flights.”

Presently, a number of Stallions are in the hands of the Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1), which is hard at work getting the helicopter ready for the so-called Initial Operational Test and Evaluation. That's the name of the program that seeks to find out how the CH-53K “performs in fleet operating conditions at sea, in sand and lifting external loads.”

According to Sikorsky, the nine helicopters to be delivered in 2024 come with a lower price than usual, although no indication of what that means was given.