ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy has ordered six CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the Israeli air force, following an agreement signed in December.
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Sikorsky Aircraft a $372 million fixed-price incentive contract modification under the Foreign Military Sales program “to exercise an option for the production and delivery of four low-rate initial production, Lot 6, CH-53K Heavy Lift aircraft, as well as associated aircraft programmatic and logistical support for the government of Israel,” the Defense Department said in a Feb. 15 announcement.
The Israeli air force and the U.S. government signed an agreement Dec. 4 for the procurement of the CH-53Ks.
The CH-53K is in production for the U.S. Marine Corps as the service’s newest heavy-lift helicopter and is replacing the CH-53E Super Stallion. In Israeli service, the CH-53Ks will replace the 50-year-old CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters, which are named Yasurs by Israel. The King Stallions primarily will support Israeli special operations forces, but also support other vertical lift missions and rescue operations.
Delivery of the Israeli CH-53Ks is expected to be completed by November 2025.
