the ch-53e Super Stallion is the Marines big and battered warhorse these
tri-motor flying barns have seen continuous service in both Iraq and
Afghanistan and were involved in almost all of America's conflicts since they
entered service in 1980 the USMC meet a big-ass new chopper and the CH of 53 K
King stallion hopes be just that the king stallion does share in the basic
ch-53 design configuration but really it's a brand new helicopter in the same
manner as the fa-18 VF super hornet is to the fa-18 AC hornet although the
ch-53 cape is not a game-changing weapon system it does trump the ch-53e in the
following ways power for free jet turbine motors put out 7500 horsepower
each about 50% more than the ch-53e engine this extra power will allow for
the ch-53 k to lift heavier loads over longer distances and will especially
improve upon the ch-53e s already capable hot and high performance speed
cruise fees will be a whopping 315 kilometer per hour for the king stallion
compared to the already fast ch-53e which cruises at 278 km/h the top-end
for this beast will be an eye-watering 370 km/h heavy lifting the goal for the
king stallion is to carry a whopping 15 tons of crap slung externally below the
aircraft for over 170 seven kilometers over the ch-53 the ch-53 k's maximum
gross weight will be thirty eight thousand four hundred
kilograms this is over 4,500 kilograms more than the ch-53e it replaces
although its outward dimensions are almost identical structure high-strength
composites were used for a large majority of the ch-53 Ches airframe
construction instead of traditional steel and aluminum control the ch-53 k
will have a state-of-the-art smart glass cockpit its engines will have a
multi-channel full authority digital engine control system and as pilots
flight control inputs will be processed through a fully integrated fly-by-wire
system drivetrain this monster packs a drivetrain that weighs in over fifty
nine hundred kilograms including its composite blades just the aircraft's
drivetrain approaches the weight of an entire Russian mi-8 hip helicopter the
tail rotor alone has as much thrust as the main rotor on an s 76 medium weight
helicopter internal capacity the king stallion will be over a metre wider than
its predecessor and its cabin will have about fifteen percent more volume
probably the nicest thing about this bigger cabin space is that two full
sized master pilots can now be carried internally in the past crews would have
to break down a master pallets contents and then repack it before the ch-53e
could haul it to its final destination just this capability alone will greatly
reduce manpower and increase sortie rates
additionally the kilos increased cabin width allows the ch-53 k to haul a
Humvee internally weapon system integration the ch-53e has been very
much a work in progress since its first flight with FL ir turrets gun mounts
communication systems self defense countermeasures and other systems being
lashed on over time the king stallion will have all these capabilities
integrated into its original design along with a trio of fifty caliber
machine guns and it's design allows for easy additions of new systems in the
future visibility the king stallions larger window line and snub nose will
offer enhanced situational awareness for its crews by a better outward of
visibility when compared with the ch-53e operating costs the Super Stallion is an
extremely expensive aircraft to fly it with per hour flight cosseting well over
$20,000 an hour and it takes over 40 man-hours of maintenance per flight hour
to keep an echo running the ch-53 k with its internal health monitoring system
and modern sub systems is targeted to be less than half that per hour flight cost
general characteristics crew five two pilots one crew chief right gunner one
left gunner one tail gun capacity thirty-seven troops 55 with centreline
seats installed chalo 15900 kilograms length thirty
point two meters rotor diameter 24 meters height eight point four six
meters empty weight 15000 71 kilograms loaded weight 33 thousand six hundred
kilograms max takeoff weight thirty-eight thousand four hundred
kilogram performance cruise speed 315 kilometers an hour range 852 kilometers
no reserves combat radius 204 kilometers
4380 meters rate of climb 13 m/s armament guns - window mounted 12.7
milliliter M 3 M G au 21 machineguns one raft mounted 12.7 millimeter M 3 M G
au 21 machine gun other chaff and flare dispensers the aircraft is slated to
cost about 110 million each with research and development costs rolled in
there is no real new aircraft alternative to the ch-53 k and even with
the meat cleaver that is the sequester looming it overhead the program seems
secure at least for now but it's cost continued to rise and its
timeline that continues to unravel further then talk of the ch-53e
recapitalization refurbishment an upgrade may come to pass
at least for a portion of the marines 200 aircraft requirement as les new
aircraft are bought over a period of time the unit price increases as the
cost of each aircraft goes up the total buy house to decrease to remain within a
programs set budget unless scarce funds can be
this is what is called the procurement death spiral in Pentagon parlance and
every over-budget behind schedule defense program is prone to it including
the high-priority ch-53 k albeit its fiscal and timeline issues seem Tim
compared to other major current weapons programs let's hope the king stallion
can rapidly get back on track and prove to the American taxpayer and warfighter
that is worthy of its new crown please be sure to like this video and subscribe
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