Recently, it has been reported that fighters, especially fifth-generation aircraft, have become the leaders of the air forces of various countries, whether in terms of combat performance or price, they are proud of the crowd, and are "giants" that only a few countries can afford. However, among other aircraft classes, there are models that are more expensive than fifth-generation aircraft. Taking helicopters as an example, the world's most expensive CH53K heavy helicopter recently received a huge order. In a bid for the Wehrmacht's multibillion-dollar contract for the acquisition of heavy helicopters, the two U.S. defense giants began a fierce competition.
Despite the fact that the current situation of domestic weapons and equipment is quite bad, Germany has been generous in large-scale arms purchase projects. According to sources, the German Wehrmacht plans to buy 66 new helicopters, with a total contract value of tens of billions of dollars, and its unit price is actually more expensive than fifth-generation aircraft such as the J-20 or F-35.
Sikorsky, owned by Lockheed Martin, says it can supply the latest CH53K heavy-lift helicopter, while Boeing wants to compete with the latest model of the CH47. In the summer of 2019, the Wehrmacht made clear its intention to replace the CH53G heavy helicopter, which has been in service for decades.
According to the news, the German Wehrmacht plans to purchase 66 new helicopters, with a total contract value of tens of billions of dollars. That's a surprising figure because it's actually more expensive than buying a fifth-generation aircraft like the J-20 or F-35. According to the German government, the hundreds of CH53G/GS heavy helicopters were previously equipped because Germany faced a threat from the Soviet Union, but now that this threat is no longer there, the German army believes that it is necessary to reduce the number of these expensive equipment to 66.
At the current market price, if Germany finally chooses the CH53K heavy helicopter, the final cost of the entire procurement plan may exceed tens of billions of dollars, or even 1.5 times the price of a single aircraft. It should be pointed out that when sold to the US military, the price of the CH53K is also as high as hundreds of millions of dollars, which is more expensive than the F-35A fighter. This high price has caused controversy in the United States, and even the US military feels that it is "unaffordable".
As far as this procurement project is concerned, Lockheed Martin is very confident. Some expert analysts point out that the CH53K helicopter has no rivals worldwide, and Germany has been using the CH53G helicopter for the past few decades, so directly purchasing its upgraded version will greatly shorten the possible adaptation period. However, the latest reports indicate that the Wehrmacht initially requested a full-fledged product that could be used to carry out combat search and rescue operations. At the same time, Lockheed Martin executives have said publicly that the bidding that began last year has some challenges for the company, because the Germans believe that some of the subsystems used by the CH53K cannot meet the needs of the national military. It is reported that Germany has adopted the certification standards of European civil aviation regulations in this procurement project, which adds additional trouble. The Germans also want to equip the CH53K with more advanced weather radar and radiocommunication equipment. During the bidding process, Boeing described the CH47F helicopter as a mature, reliable and clearly competitive product at a price. It is reported that the helicopter is in service with more than 20 countries, about 950 units, and its performance has been recognized by US allies.