CH-53 Sea Stallion
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Image:0HMH465movingMALS-16van.jpg The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy transport helicopter. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is the largest helicopter in the Western world. It is also in service with Israel and Germany, and the MH-53 with the United States Air Force. It is designated the CH-53 Yas'ur in the IAF.
A variant, the CH-53E Super Stallion, while dimensionally similar, is a much improved version designated S-80E by Sikorsky, which replaced the Sea Stallion in the heavy airlift mission. With a third engine, it is significantly more powerful than the Sea Stallion.
In the U.S. inventory, current CH-53D and MH-53 models will be replaced by the V-22 Osprey, while an upgraded CH-53 will replace the Super Stallion.
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History
The CH-53A was ordered in 1962 to satisfy the Marine Corps' requirement for a heavy-lift helicopter. The first aircraft flew October 12, 1964. It would be replaced by the CH-53D. The US Air Force ordered HH-53B and HH-53C variants for Search and Rescue units, and developed the MH-53J Pave Low version for Special Operations missions. Pave Lows often work in conjunction with MC-130 Combat Talon for navigation, communications and combat support, and with HC-130 for inflight refueling.
Due to its large size and troop capacity, aerial accidents that involve CH-53 helicopters were the deadliest helicopter accidents ever. In "The Helicopter Catastrophe" [1], that happened on 4 February 1997 in Israel, the death toll was 73 people from 2 CH-53 helicopters. On 10 May 1977, 54 people were killed in a similar accident, also in Israel. On Jan. 26, 2005, a CH-53 went down in bad weather in western Iraq, killing 31 U.S. service members. This was followed a year later by a crash of two CH-53 Sea Stallions on February 17, 2006, where eight Marines and two airmen were killed while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in the Gulf of Aden near Ras Siyyan, northern Djibouti.
In late February, 2006, the Marine Corps announced that the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor aircraft, will be sent into combat within a year with VMM-263 [2]. The V-22 Osprey will replace the Marine Corps CH-46E and CH-53D as well as several types of the Special Operations Command MH-53 Pave Low and possibly some C-130 Hercules series aircraft.
Combat Experience
The CH-53/HH-53 has significant combat experience during its lengthy service, with both the U.S. military during the Vietnam War and as a Special Operations helicopter, and the Israeli Air Force.
Air Force HH-53 Super Jollies became the primary Search and Rescue helicopter in Southeast Asia between 1967 and 1975, inserted the Operation Ivory Coast rescue team into the North Vietnamese prison camp at Son Tay in 1970, and were the transport force for Marines attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Mayaguez. Marine-flown Navy Sea Stallions comprised the rotary wing element of Operation Eagle Claw, the attempted rescue of American hostages in Iran in 1980 that ended in disaster and embarrassment at "Desert One."
In 1970, during the War of Attrition, an IAF Yas'ur CH-53 landed in Egypt and conveyed a captured Soviet advanced radar back to Israel for examination by Israeli scientists and engineers. The Yas'ur played a major role in 1973 Yom Kippur War, moving artillery batteries around the fronts, evacuating wounded soldiers and rescuing pilots from behind enemy lines. In one engagement, a Yas'ur was damaged by cannon fire from a MiG-21 but managed to return safely to base. Since 1973 Yas'urs have also been used by the IDF to land and extract Sayeret commandos on deep raids into Lebanon and Syria.
Variants
- YCH-53A - two prototypes
- CH-53A - initial production for USMC, 139 built
- RH-53A - mine countermeasures versions, 15 built
- TH-53A - stripped CH-53As used for training
- HH-53B - CH-53A type for USAF search and rescue
- CH-53C - heavy-lift version for USAF, 22 built
- HH-53C - "Super Jolly Green Giant", improved HH-53B for USAF
- S-65C-2 (S-65o) - export version for Austria, later to Israel
- S-65-C3 - export version for Israel
- CH-53D - CH-53A with improved transmission, 124 built
- RH-53D - improved anti-mine version
- VH-53D - two CH-53Ds for USMC VIP transport
- VH-53F - six unbuilt VIP helicopters for the US Air Force
- CH-53G - 110 built by VFW under license
- YHH-53H - prototype Pave Low I craft
- HH-53H - Pave Low III night infiltrator
- MH-53H - redesignation of HH-53H
- MH-53J - "Pave Low III" Enhanced, HH-53B, HH-53C, et. al. types converted
- MH-53M - "Pave Low IV" IDAS/MATT, Upgraded version of MH-53J
- CH-53D Yas'ur 2000 - CH-53D upgraded and improved by the IAI to extend life span beyond the year 2000.
- CH-53G / CH-53GS - versions for the German Army Aviation. The GS Version has an additional ECM-system and two additional fuel tanks.
For other variants, see CH-53E Super Stallion and CH-53K.
Specifications
Image:CH-53G Laage.jpg Image:CH-53 CM2.jpg Image:Yasor israel.jpg Template:Aero-specs
Specifications (CH-53D)
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Capacity: 37 troops or 24 stretchers
- Length (overall): 26.9 m (88 ft 2.45 in)
- Width (fuselage): 4.7 m (15 ft 6 in)
- Height: 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
- Rotor diameter: 6.71 m² (72.23 ft²)
- Empty: 10,740 kg (23,628 lb)
- Loaded: 15,227 kg (33,500 lb)
- Maximum takeoff: 16,677 kg (36,693 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 General Electric T64-GE-413, 2,928 kW (3,925 shp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 318 km/h (172 knots)
- Range: km ( nautical miles)
- Service ceiling: 5,106 m (16,750 ft)
- Rate of climb: 750 m/min (2,460 ft/min)
Armament
- Door Guns