The USMC ordered 200 CH-53K production aircraft (including the four SDTA aircraft) to stand up 8 active duty, 1 reserve and 1 training squadron to replace the CH-53E Super Stallion.
First helicopter, SDTA #3, delivered for trials and testing on May 2018.
Production of the helicopter is forecast to more than double from four (4) aircraft in 2022 to nine (9) in 2023, and then increase by an additional 2/3rds to fifteen (15) aircraft in 2026. It is expected that the CH-53K will remain in production through 2032 and beyond.
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2 MAW) was selected to be the first to begin transition to the CH-53K in 2020 in a process that will continue with the rest of fleet up to FY30.
The CH-53K entered Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2021 and is set to conclude in 2022.
On January 24, 2022 HMH-461 (2 MAW) in MCAS New River became the first operational squadron to receive the CH-53K.
In December 2022 the CH-53K entered Full Rate Production (FRP) and squadrons transition continues on schedule. Full Operational Capability is expected for FY2029.
First helicopter, SDTA #3, delivered for trials and testing on May 2018.
Production of the helicopter is forecast to more than double from four (4) aircraft in 2022 to nine (9) in 2023, and then increase by an additional 2/3rds to fifteen (15) aircraft in 2026. It is expected that the CH-53K will remain in production through 2032 and beyond.
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2 MAW) was selected to be the first to begin transition to the CH-53K in 2020 in a process that will continue with the rest of fleet up to FY30.
The CH-53K entered Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2021 and is set to conclude in 2022.
On January 24, 2022 HMH-461 (2 MAW) in MCAS New River became the first operational squadron to receive the CH-53K.
In December 2022 the CH-53K entered Full Rate Production (FRP) and squadrons transition continues on schedule. Full Operational Capability is expected for FY2029.
Units |
| Years | Units | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 2022- | HMH-461 | MCAS New River |
| 2019- | VMX-1 | Yuma |
| 2017- | USN HX-21 | NAS Patuxent River |
|
Deployments List of Aircraft |
| C/N | Mod | Built | ID In this Org | In other Org | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 169019 MV-005 |  169019: SDTA-1 Apr18;
Sikorsky ILA Berlin 2018  | ||||||
| 169020 MV-006 | 169020: SDTA-2, Sikorsky | ||||||
| 2018 | 169021 MV-007 USMC d/d at MCAS New River, NC; first CH-53K delivered to USMC; VMX-1 | 169021: SDTA-3; Sikorsky | |||||
| 169022 MV-008 VMX-1 /MV-008 | 169022: SDTA-4
Sikorsky first test of chaff and flares defensive suite | ||||||
| 2021 | 169662 009 LRIP - Low Rate Initial Production - Lot 1 #1; Ceremony held at Stratford, CT pl... | ||||||
| 2022 | 169663 CJ-010 LRIP - Low Rate Initial Production - Lot 1 #2 | ||||||
| 2022 | 170001 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2022 | 170002 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2022 | 170003 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 170004 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | |||||||
| 2023 | 170005 015 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2023 | 170006 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2023 | 170007 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2023 | 170008 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2023 | 170009 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2024 | 170010 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2024 | 170011 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2024 | 170012 LRIP CH-53K Lot 2 | ||||||
| 2024 | 170291 Test flight at Stratford CT plant using ICAO hex ABCDEF. Lot 4 | ||||||
