GE Aerospace has won a new $1.4 billion contract from America’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for the engines for the U.S. Marine Corps’ King Stallion helicopter fleet.
The five-year procurement contract is the seventh deal won by the firm and will provide new T408 engines, spares and maintenance for the power units of the USMC’s 23 CH-53K aircraft.
The Sikorsky King Stallion is the U.S. Navy’s sole marinized heavy-lift rotary-wing platform; it is capable of lifting 36,000 pounds and mid-air refuelling. The aircraft are designed to offer ship-to-shore mobility and the manoeuvrability to support a variety of assault missions.
The first King Stallions were introduced into service with the USMC in early 2022. Each CH-53K is powered by three T408 engines; as a result the King Stallion offers three times the range and payload capacity of its predecessor platform, the CH-53E Super Stallion.
Heavy Lift Engines Program Director Scott Snyder commented: “This latest contract is a testament to the T408’s ability to deliver the power, durability and efficiency the Marine Corps depends on.”
And Col. Kate Fleeger, programme manager in the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office, added: “The contract allows GE to manage supply chain health through a stable, predictable demand signal, ultimately achieving better pricing, passing those savings on to the government.”
The engines will be assembled at GE Aerospace’s manufacturing facility in Lynn, Massachusetts.
- You can read more details on the NAVAIR website and the GE Aerospace website