The Viper is the expeditionary strike helicopter flown by the USMC. The US Navy is in the throes of a significant transition to fighting as a fleet, rather than operating around classic carrier task forces. One aspect of the change is reworking how the amphibious fleet can operate within the…
CH-53K King Stallion takes first fleet flight - Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC, launch the CH-53K King Stallion on its first fleet flight January 15, 2021. The aircraft now enters a new phase of testing where it will be…
Last August, the CH-53K King Stallion completed two weeks of sea trials, completing 364 landings and takeoffs, day and night, from all nine deck spots and in various wind conditions to demonstrate its versatility and ability to operate from a ship on deployment. The CH-53K sea trials integrated test team…
As the strategic shift from the Middle Eastern land wars to engagement where flexibile, expeditionary basing is envisaged, the attack utility helicopter team of Vipers and Venoms is adapting. In a visit to 2nd Marine Air Wing in December 2020, the adaptation process was described in discussions with Marine Light…
By Robbin Laird, Marine Corps Air Station, New River. On December 3, 2020, during my visit to New River, I experienced flying in the cockpit of the Marine Corps's latest key air capability, the CH-53K. I was in the cockpit with LtCol Luke "Amber" Frank, the VMX-1 Detachment OIC. He…
"The National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise is an ambitious nation-building project that will deliver cutting-edge capabilities to the Royal Australian Navy while creating thousands of jobs and building Australian industry. "The Enterprise is on track, with a modern new shipyard nearing completion in South Australia, patrol boats and Offshore Patrol Vessels…
A compilation of test video showing how the CH-53K King Stallion delivers the capabilities needed by the U.S. Marine Corps. 12.16.2019 Video by Victoria Falcon Naval Air Station Patuxent River For an archive of CH-53K articles, see the following: https://defense.info/system-type/rotor-and-tiltrotor-systems/ch-53k/ For a recent report on the CH-53K, see the following e-book:
By Robbin Laird Recently, the Marines tested their new forward base refueling system with the CH-53K. The two together provide new capabilities for forward refueling points or for expeditionary basing. According to the Marines: Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, employ a tactical aviation ground…
