The CH-53K King Stallion arrives at Naval Air
Station, Patuxent River on June 30, 2017. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.
PATUXENT RIVER, Md., July 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) today announced the CH-53K King Stallion program has
successfully completed its first extended "cross country" flight from
Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Florida, facility to Naval Air Station Patuxent
River, Maryland. This is the first of several such flights that will occur
during 2017 and 2018 as the CH-53K flight test program transitions to the
flight test facilities at Patuxent River (PAX).
The CH-53K helicopter flew on June 30 from Sikorsky's
Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach to PAX, a distance of
approximately 810 miles. Total flight time was six hours, with two en route
fuel stops at Naval Air Station Mayport, Florida, and Marine Corps Air Station
New River, North Carolina. View the video.
CH-53K King Stallion Flight Testing Begins Transition to
Patuxent River NAS
"This first movement of CH-53K flight testing to our
customer's facility denotes that the aircraft have achieved sufficient maturity
to begin transitioning the focus of the test program from envelope expansion to
system qualification testing," said Dr. Michael Torok, Sikorsky Vice
President, CH-53K Programs. "This has been the plan from the beginning and
is another important step toward getting these fantastic aircraft into the
hands of the U.S. Marine Corps."
The four CH-53K Engineering Development Model (EDM)
aircraft have already completed more than 450 hours of flight testing at
Sikorsky's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, and continue to drive
to the edges of the operational envelope with both internal and external loads.
The flight test program will continue to operate as it has from the beginning
under an Integrated Test Team (ITT) that is comprised of Sikorsky, U.S. Navy
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) personnel.
Testing will continue in both locations, West Palm Beach and Patuxent River
throughout the transition period.
"Bringing the CH-53K flight test program to PAX is
an exciting milestone; many of the employees dedicated to its advancement now
have the opportunity to work right down the street from it," said Col.
Hank Vanderborght, U.S. Marine Corps program manager for the Naval Air Systems
Command's Heavy Lift Helicopters program, PMA-261.
In April, the CH-53K King Stallion Program successfully
passed its Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) and achieved a Milestone C decision
that approves funding for low rate initial production.
The CH-53K provides unmatched heavy lift capability with
three times the lift of the CH-53E that it replaces. With the increased payload
capability and a 12-inch wider internal cabin compared to the predecessor
CH-53E, the CH-53K's increased payload capability can take the form of a
variety of relevant payloads ranging from multiple U.S. Air Force standard 463L
pallets to an internally loaded High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
(HMMWV) or a European Fennek armored personnel carrier. In addition, the CH-53K
can carry up to three independent external loads at once providing incredible
mission flexibility and system efficiency.
The CH-53K offers enhanced safety features for the
warfighter. Safety is enhanced with full authority fly-by-wire flight controls
and mission management that reduces pilot workload and enables the crew to
focus on mission execution because the CH-53K all but "flies itself." Features include advanced stability
augmentation, flight control modes that include attitude command-velocity hold,
automated approach to a stabilized hover, position hold and precision tasks in
degraded visual environments, and tactile cueing that all permit the pilot to
confidently focus on the mission at hand.
Further, the CH-53K has improved reliability and
maintainability that exceeds 89 percent mission reliability with a smaller
shipboard logistics footprint than the legacy CH-53E.
The U.S. Department of Defense's Program of Record
remains at 200 CH-53K aircraft. The first six of the 200 Program of Record
aircraft are under contract and scheduled to start delivery next year to the
Marine Corps. Two additional aircraft, the first low rate initial production aircraft,
are under long lead procurement for parts and materials, with deliveries
scheduled to start in 2020. The Marine Corps intends to stand up eight active
duty squadrons, one training squadron, and one reserve squadron to support
operational requirements.
For additional information, visit our website: http://lockheedmartin.com/us/products/ch-53k-helicopter.html.
This press release contains forward looking statements
concerning opportunities for development, production and sale of helicopters.
Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of
certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in
government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans, availability of
funding and in the type and number of aircraft required; challenges in the
design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well
as other risks and uncertainties including but not limited to those detailed
from time to time in Lockheed Martin Corporation's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people
worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems,
products and services.
SOURCE Lockheed Martin
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