The US government on 8 April submitted updated information and the possible delivery schedule for the Foreign Military Sale of the CH-53K (seen here in an artist‘s impression) to Germany. (Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, and Rheinmetall have detailed the latest state of their bid for Germany‘s Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) heavy transport helicopter project to replace the Luftwaffe's existing CH-53G/GS/GA/GEs.
Sikorsky-Rheinmetall‘s STH team briefed German defence media and Janes in Bonn on 12 April, announcing that the US government had on 8 April submitted updated information and the possible delivery plan for the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of the CH-53K to Germany. Sikorsky and Rheinmetall said they could deliver the first CH-53Ks starting in 2025, with the US Marine Corps, as the main user of the helicopter, able to provide training to convert German crews from the CH-53G, enabling the ageing helicopters‘ retirement in 2030 as planned.
Christian Albrecht, head of international business development at Sikorsky Deutschland, said, “The basic version of the CH-53K, available on the market, already meets all the relevant mission requirements of the Bundeswehr. Expensive as well as technologically and financially risky retrofits or long development cycles are not necessary. Above all, the CH-53‘s operational range and possibilities are increased considerably by being equipped for aerial refuelling as standard.”
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