In modern warfare, although the mode of operation has undergone earth-shaking changes, logistics support and troop transportation are still an important part of the battlefield. In order to win, it is necessary to do a good job of abundant troop output and efficient logistical support. Because of this, heavy transport aircraft are favored. In addition to fixed-wing heavy transport aircraft, helicopters play a vital role in war because they have the advantage of rapid vertical take-off and landing without a runway, and can quickly and efficiently deliver combat troops in actual combat. In particular, heavy transport helicopters have stronger transport capabilities.
That's why the United States spent $25 billion to procure 200 next-generation CH-53K heavy transport helicopters for the Marine Corps. Among them, the first CH-53K "Stallion King" heavy transport helicopter was delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps on May 16, 2018.
It is worth mentioning that the CH-53K heavy transport helicopter has a unit price of up to $125 million, which is higher than the current unit price of the F-35A, the fourth-generation stealth fighter of the US military. So, what are the advantages of this most expensive helicopter, known as the "Stallion King"?
I think the main advantages of the aircraft are: very large, heavy, full of power, strong transportation capacity, advanced intelligence and safe and reliable.
The 1.ch-53K is equipped with a powerful engine. Aero engines are the jewels in the industrial crown, the so-called "as long as the thrust is large, the plate bricks can also fly into the sky." "Suffice it to illustrate the importance of the engine to the aircraft. For aircraft, the performance of the engine directly affects the overall performance of the aircraft. The CH-53K heavy transport helicopter is equipped with three General Electric ge38-1b engines, each with a power of up to 5600 kilowatts (7500 shaft horsepower), and three engines can burst out a terrifying power output of more than 20,000 shaft horsepower.
In contrast, the Marine Corps' active CH-53e Sea Stallion heavy helicopter is equipped with a General Electric T64-ge-416/416 A/419 engine with a single power of 3,070 kilowatts (4,380 shaft horsepower), which is nearly half the total power of the CH-53K. It should be pointed out that even if the CH-53e engine power is only half of the CH-53K, the aircraft is still one of the most transport-capable helicopters in the world.
2. Ch-53k cruising speed and load capacity increase significantly. Powered by three powerful ge38-1b engines, the ch-53k can deliver 22,500 shaft horsepower while offering better fuel economy. In terms of performance, the CH-53K heavy transport helicopter increases the cruising speed on the one hand, and the aircraft load on the other hand.
For example, the Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter, which also has more than 20,000 axle horsepower (equipped with two Ivchenko-Progressive AI-136 turboshaft engines and a single up to 11,400-axis horsepower), is much inferior in cruising speed than the CH-53k heavy transport helicopter. According to public information, the Cruising speed of the Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter is 255 kilometers per hour, while the cruising speed of the CH-53K has reached 315 kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to the maximum speed of the high-speed rail. The CH-53e Sea Stallion, on the other hand, has a cruising speed slower than both aircraft, at 222 km/h.
In terms of transport load, the ch-53k heavy transport aircraft reached a takeoff weight of nearly 40 tons, and the payload clearly surpassed the active CH-53e "Sea Stallion" heavy helicopter. Among them, this key indicator can clearly show the carrying capacity of the CH-53k transport aircraft - the ch-53k can carry an external load of more than 12 tons, fly 110 nautical miles (about 204 kilometers) at an altitude of about 900 meters, and have a carrying capacity of more than twice that of the CH-53e "Sea Stallion" under the same conditions. Without a long journey, the ch-53k can also carry an external payload of up to 15.9 tons to fly.
Thanks to the spacious interior design of the CH-53K helicopter, the aircraft can be used to park high-speed armed assault vehicles such as Humvee inside, and to hang armed assault vehicles or 155 mm howitzers such as xm777s on the outside. As a result, the CH-53K is better able to help the U.S. Marine Corps conduct rapid maneuver operations.
3. Ch-53k rotor is better. In addition to the powerful engine, the ch-53k rotor is also equipped with a new composite material with better performance, which is also a highlight of the aircraft. The use of new materials can provide more lift for aircraft take-off, and also enable aircraft to better cope with various sudden and complex situations. Stephen McRae, chief test pilot of Sikorsky, also believes that the design and use of new composite blades enhances the stability and durability of the rotor with energy efficiency.
In the field of flight control, the United States has always been in a leading position, such as the B-2A "Ghost" stealth strategic bomber with the integration of wings, which uses computer-aided systems to make it fly normally like ordinary fixed-wing aircraft. In the field of helicopters, the flight control system of the new generation CH-53K is also advanced.
1. Fly smarter. At present, the CH-53K not only has a new digital glass cockpit and advanced fly-by-wire control system, but also has excellent automatic driving functions. This makes it easier and more comfortable for pilots to fly this bulky CH-53K heavy transport helicopter. Especially in desert areas and complex conditions, the CH-53K can fly autonomously with the help of autonomous driving. At the same time, in the harsh environment, pilots can also use the intelligent flight control system to better control the aircraft, effectively avoid crashes, safe and reliable. This is simply a replica of the CH-53 in Transformers, and it is also the goal that the US military is committed to pursuing.
2. The tail design makes the aircraft safer. The CH-53K "Stallion King" adds a hydraulic column to the tail, which can absorb energy during the forced landing of the aircraft to prevent the tail of the aircraft from hitting the ground, thus avoiding irreparable damage caused by the loss of control of the aircraft. This design is rare in helicopters, but this can usually play a "life-saving" role for helicopters that are forced to land, so this also makes the aircraft safer during the forced landing process.
Although the CH-53K technology is more advanced and more expensive, it is also larger, but the maintenance cost of the aircraft is declining. Previously, the CH-53e Sea Stallion heavy transport helicopter required up to 40 hours of maintenance per flight hour, which put a lot of pressure on the U.S. Marine Corps, both logistically and front-line troops. After each flight, the aircraft is maintained for a long time, which affects the attendance of the aircraft.
For logistical maintenance reasons, Sikorsky minimized the number of aircraft parts when developing the CH-53K. Among them, the number of parts for the aircraft engine has been reduced by nearly 64% compared with the CH-53e, and the reduction of parts has significantly reduced the maintenance hours and maintenance costs required for the aircraft.
The above advantages of ch-53k "Stallion King" make the comprehensive performance of the machine more excellent, and the price is much higher than that of ch-53e. Although the fuselage of this heavy transport helicopter supporting the U.S. Marine Corps for special operations is similar to the CH-53E, its overall design and performance have been qualitatively improved, especially in the engine power system and intelligence, as well as the load, which is significantly stronger than the active ch-53e "Sea Stallion" heavy transport helicopter.
In the future, the CH-53K Stallion King heavy transport aircraft with all-weather comprehensive combat capability will provide strong transportation support for the U.S. Marine Corps, together with the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor and the Bell UH-1y Venom utility helicopter.