Nahal Brigade soldiers board a CH-53 Yas'ur during an exercise in November 2021. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Israeli Air Force's (IAF's) decision to merge the two squadrons that flew the Sikorsky CH-53 ‘Yas'ur' heavy lift helicopters was part of the preparations to receive the replacement CH-53K Super Stallions that Israel has ordered, according to the commander of the surviving squadron.
Lieutenant Colonel Y (full name withheld), the commander of 118 Squadron, which absorbed the disbanded 114 Squadron's personnel and aircraft in July 2023, told Janes the merger was “the first step on the path” to receive the CH-53K.
While both squadrons were already located at Air Force Base 8 at Tel Nof, Lt Col Y said, “the resources are being focused in one place to operate the squadron so that all of the professional specialty is concentrated in a single unit. This includes the maintenance support that we receive at the base, and the technological headquarters”.
The IAF's official magazine stated in July that the first CH-53s arrived in Israel in 1968, with more following in 1975. While Sikorsky has described them as the CH-53D variant, the Yas'urs have undergone numerous upgrades over the years that make them uniquely Israeli helicopters. Lt Col Y was not permitted to say how many are still flying but he said the number had not been reduced by the merger.
The plan is to reopen 114 Squadron as the unit that will operate the 12 CH-53Ks that Israel has ordered. While Lt Col Y could not provide a timeline, he described the operationalisation of the new helicopters as a long-term process and said that none of the pilots have begun their training yet.
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