The War Zone
New USMC CH-53K King Stallion Helicopter Sling-Loads An F-35 (Updated)
The U.S. military’s heaviest-lifting helicopter continues to show off its abilities, this time taking an F-35C for a ride.
BY
OLIVER PARKEN
|
PUBLISHED JAN 24, 2023 1:28 PM
The U.S. Marine Corps’ (USMC) newest helicopter, the heavy-hauling CH-53K King Stallion, successfully lifted a U.S. Navy F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter on December 13th of last year. Details on the demonstration, as well as accompanying images, were released on January 23.
The exercise took place at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. This involved a CH-53K helicopter belonging to USMC Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) lifting the Navy's first F-35C prototype, 'CF-01,' or 'CF-1.' CF-01 made its debut back in 2009 and took its first flight in 2010. While the CH-53K is capable of lifting aircraft, this appears to be the first time the helicopter has lifted an F-35 fighter of any variant.
Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 24 (CLB-24) helped conduct the exercise, which was designed to help develop tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) for CH-53K King Stallion "Helicopter Support Team operations."
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-usmc-ch-53k-king-stallion-helicopter-sling-loads-an-f-35
