CH-53K (Heavy Lift)

The CH-53K (Heavy Lift) program is a critical initiative under the Navy's Aircraft Procurement strategy, focusing on combat aircraft. Its primary objective is to develop and procure the CH-53K "King Stallion" helicopters, which are designed to replace the aging CH-53E "Super Stallion" models. These helicopters are essential for the Marine Corps, providing heavy-lift capabilities necessary for expeditionary assault transport of armored vehicles, equipment, and personnel from sea-based operations deep inland.

The program addresses several operational concerns associated with the older CH-53E models, such as performance degradation and maintenance supportability issues. The CH-53K offers significant improvements in range, payload capacity, reliability, maintainability, and interoperability. It is designed to meet the Marine Air-Ground Task Force's heavy-lift requirements in a 21st-century joint environment. The program has successfully progressed through various development phases and received approval to proceed to full-rate production in December 2022.

A key component involves advance procurement for long-lead materials and components necessary for maintaining a consistent production schedule. This includes procuring airframe components, forgings, castings, and raw materials like titanium. Additionally, government-furnished equipment procurements focus on communication, navigation, and survivability components. These efforts support the Marine Aviation Plan and ensure timely replacement of the CH-53E fleet.

The program also emphasizes economic order quantity procurement strategies to optimize costs across multiple production lots of T-408 engines. This approach helps manage production lead-times effectively while adapting to factors such as inflation and additional production capacity. As the program matures, adjustments in funding distribution between contractor-furnished equipment and government-furnished elements are anticipated based on evolving lead-time requirements and pricing negotiations.