Marines’ CH-53K King Stallion Set to Become World’s Most Expensive Helicopter

[SZonian]

The Marine Corps’ new CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter is on track to surpass the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter in unit cost, a lawmaker said this month.

The still-in-development King Stallion is designed to replace the Marines’ CH-53E Super Stallion choppers, which are reaching the end of their service lives. But while Super Stallions cost about $24 million apiece, or $41 million in current dollars, the Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin King Stallion began with a per-unit price tag of about $95 million — and there are indications it could rise further.

Citing a 2016 Selected Acquisition Report from the Government Accountability Office, Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., said the CH-53K estimated unit cost had increased about 14 percent from the baseline estimate. Information provided directly from the Marine Corps to House lawmakers this year, she said, indicated that the choppers were now expected to cost 22 percent more than the baseline estimate, or $122 million per copy.

“The Marine Corps intends to buy 200 of these aircraft, so that cost growth multiplied times 200 is a heck of a lot of money,” Tsongas said during a March 10 hearing before a House Armed Services subcommittee. “And even if there is no additional cost growth, it seems worth pointing out that $122 million per aircraft in 2006 dollars exceeds the current cost of an F-35A aircraft for the Air Force by a significant margin.”

[excerpted]

https://www.dodbuzz.com/2017/03/13/marines-ch-53k-king-stallion-set-become-worlds-expensive-helicopter/?ESRC=airforce-a_170315.nl

[endicom]

They'll do everything but salute. We could use more salute and less high-falute.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

$95 million per helicopter?


 :dropjaw:

[Maj. Bill Martin]

That's a ton of money, but those things can carry more than 13 tons externally.  That is an important ability, because it means they can carry not only heavier artillery, but LAV's as well, which weigh slightly under 13 tons.  The Marine Corps is a forward-deployment force, and the ability to lift large amounts of equipment into areas, and then support them with heavy lift capability, is very significant.

Frankly, I think those things will see a lot more actual use than F-35's.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

$95 million per helicopter?


 :dropjaw:

Oh sure, but that's only if you don't the "sport" package.