BERLIN, April 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sikorsky, a
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Company, announced its German
industrialization plan for competing in the German Air Force
"Schwerer Transporthubschrauber" (STH) Program with the world class
heavy lift helicopter, the CH-53K King
Stallion. Rheinmetall Group, which has entered into an
exclusive arrangement with Sikorsky, will lead in-service support
for the CH-53K.
The Sikorsky CH-53K team will host the German companies in an
industry chalet during ILA Berlin Airshow April 25-29. Sikorsky will showcase plans for the
long-term sustainment of the CH-53K by German aerospace industry.
The plans will optimize maintenance and repair for the German Air
Force for future decades.
"The CH-53K is the most modern and capable heavy lift helicopter
ever built and has the ability to fly for the next 50 years
performing ever expanding combat, humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief missions," said Dan
Schultz, president of Sikorsky. "We look forward to our
partnership with German industry to bring true heavy lift
capability to every aspect of the German Armed Forces."
The CH-53K helicopter is the best choice for handling missions
like humanitarian aid, troop transport, casualty evacuation,
support of special operations forces, and combat search and rescue.
No matter the mission, the aircraft provides the highest degree of
safety for its crew and occupants in all conditions.
With the legacy fleet of the CH-53G, Sikorsky has a strong
relationship with the Bundeswehr. The CH-53K will enable the German
Armed Forces to conduct bona fide heavy lift operations.
Intelligent, reliable, low-maintenance and survivable, the CH-53K
is the future of German Heavy Lift.
German companies participating in the CH-53K industry chalet at
ILA Berlin are: Rheinmetall –
which will lead the effort – MTU, ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH,
Autoflug, HYDRO Systems KG, Rockwell Collins Germany, Jenoptik,
Hensoldt, Liebherr, and Rohde & Schwarz.
Sikorsky, with its lead exclusive teammate for in-service
support, Rheinmetall, continues to identify additional German
defense companies to contribute to the sustainment of the
helicopter in Germany.
The CH-53K King Stallion advances
Sikorsky's 50 years of manufacturing and operational success with
its CH-53A, CH-53D/G, and CH-53E predecessors. Built to thrive on
the twenty-first century battlefield, including shipboard
operations, the CH-53K aircraft is an all-new aircraft, using
modern intelligent design. The rugged CH-53K is designed to ensure
reliability, low-maintenance, high availability and enhanced
survivability in the most austere and remote forward operating
bases.
The CH-53K is a production platform; it will be fielded to the
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) as a fully-operational aircraft in
2019. By the time Germany
receives its first aircraft, the CH-53K will have been in service
with the USMC for five years. The CH-53K is the modern heavy
lift solution that will provide the German Armed Forces with a
proven heavy lift helicopter that can be entered into service
seamlessly without need for upgrades for the next several
decades.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately
100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the
research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and
services.
For additional information about CH-53K, visit:
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/ch-53k
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin