Lockheed announces £8.9bn deal for CH-53K

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division has been awarded a massive contract to produce up to 99 new heavy-lift helicopters for the US Marine Corps, in a deal worth over £8.9bn ($10.855 billion), which is the largest quantity order for the aircraft to date, according to a September 26 press release. The five-year agreement will see the company deliver its CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, with triple the lifting power of the USMC’s previous helicopter fleet. The deal is set to help stabilise the US defence industrial base by ensuring a consistent flow of materials and sustaining thousands of jobs across the country.

The contract, announced on 26 September, consolidates five separate aircraft orders and will facilitate deliveries between 2029 and 2034. The arrangement also includes the option to fulfil orders from international customers.

The CH-53K, designed by Sikorsky to meet the Marines’ requirements for heavy-lift capabilities in a contested environment, is intended to transport troops, supplies, and equipment. According to Lockheed Martin, the helicopter offers “unrivalled power, performance, survivability and dependability.”

This latest order follows the delivery of 20 CH-53K aircraft to the Marine Corps, with an additional 63 currently in various stages of production. The new multi-year contract, which combines lots 9-13, will help secure supply chains and drive down costs through bulk purchasing from a network of 267 US-based suppliers and 17 international partners.

Col. Kate Fleeger, Programme Manager for the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter Programme Office, hailed the contract as a “huge ‘win’ for the entire CH-53K team.” She stated that the agreement would “provide dependable delivery to the fleet and a consistent and predictable timeline for the transition from the CH-53E to the CH-53K.”

The US Marine Corps has already transitioned one of its fleet squadrons to the new aircraft and has additional King Stallion helicopters operating at a developmental test squadron, an operational test squadron, and a training squadron. The US Department of the Navy declared Full Rate Production for the programme in December 2022, with a total programme of record of 200 CH-53K aircraft. 

CH-53K vs CH-53E

CH-53K helicopters on final assembly at Sikorsky Aircraft headquarters in Stratford, Conn. Credit: Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.

The primary difference between the CH-53K King Stallion and its predecessors, specifically the CH-53E Super Stallion, is a significant leap in power and lift capability. The CH-53K is a completely new aircraft, not merely an upgrade, designed to lift a 27,000-pound (approximately 12,247 kg) external load over a radius of 110 nautical miles in challenging high-altitude and hot conditions. Its total lift capacity is 36,000 lb (16,000 kg), which enables it to carry a JLTV or Light Armoured Vehicle, Lockheed states.  This is nearly triple the lift capacity of the CH-53E in the same environment. This immense power is achieved through three new, more powerful General Electric T408 engines and a new, more efficient composite rotor blade system.

Beyond its superior lifting power, the CH-53K incorporates advanced digital technology that its predecessors lack. The new helicopter features a state-of-the-art “glass cockpit” with digital fly-by-wire flight controls, which drastically reduces pilot workload and provides more precise handling. It also has a wider fuselage that can internally transport a Humvee, a capability the CH-53E does not possess. These technological and structural enhancements make the King Stallion more reliable, easier to maintain, and far more adaptable to the demands of modern military operations.

Calibre comment

Russia’s helicopters paid a heavy price in Ukraine, frequently falling victim to the short- and medium-range air defence systems that Ukraine deployed. Russia was initially able to get some helicopters and troops into Ukraine, which indicates there is a role for them in the opening phases of a conflict, and its Ka-52s wreaked havoc on Ukrainian formations during the 2023 counter-offensive, albeit at a heavy cost. 

This has led some to question the value of helicopters in a modern war, while this order suggests that the US marines still see them as important. Of course, there are plenty of use cases where helicopters are not so vulnerable, especially those that fall short of a major war. Specifically for the USMC, it is possible that the CH-53Ks will contribute to its island-hopping plan to deploy long-range strike systems like the ROGUE NMESIS launcher in unexpected locations. In this role, the helicopters could be quite survivable, and perhaps a more suitable platform than any other. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 29, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. It shows delivery of the 20th CH-53K® helicopter to the US Marine Corps in September 2025.