The Strategic Shift and the Role of the Heavy Lift Helicopter in the USMC
07/15/2024
By Robbin Laird
My recent discussions with LtGen Heckl and visits to MAWTS-1 have both reinforced the nature of the USMC and its role within the overall strategic shift the U.S. military is undergoing. The U.S. military is being reshaped to enhance its survival and lethality through an enhanced ability to conduct distributed operations in various forms which also allow it to maintain global presence.
In this shift, the role of logistics has gone up dramatically. There is no way to distribute force and have it operate effectively without logistical support delivered to the point of operational need. It is obvious that significant innovation is required to deliver such a capability.
One element of such innovation for the USMC resides in the evolution of its heavy lift helicopter fleet, the CH-53E and the addition of the new CH-53K. The expanded capabilities presented by the CH-53K are in line with several changes in the strategic direction of military innovation and the upgrades to the CH-53E allow it to engage in the key shift associated with the payload revolution.
https://sldinfo.com/2024/07/the-strategic-shift-and-the-role-of-the-heavy-lift-helicopter-in-the-usmc/
