TSAMTO, February 18. The US Department of Defense announced the signing by the US Navy Aviation Systems Command with Sikorsky Aircraft of an additional contract for the supply of 4 CH-53K "King Stallion" helicopters of the 6th batch (Lot 6) as part of the initial small-scale production (LRIP) stage.
The value of the agreement signed on February 15 under the Foreign Military Sales program amounted to $372.04 million. The contract provides for the supply of 4 CH-53K helicopters, as well as related software and logistics support for the Israeli Armed Forces.
The work will be carried out at enterprises in Bradford (pcs.Connecticut, 33.57%), Wichita (pcs.Kansas, 9.56%), Salt Lake City (Utah, 5.6%), St. Louis (pcs.Missouri, 4.36%), Bridgeport (West Virginia, 3.11%), Redmond (Washington, 1.99%), Kent (Washington, 1.67%), Quebec (Canada, 1.63%), Kadahi (pcs.Wisconsin, 1.42%), Rochester (UK, 1.29%), Fort Walton Beach (Florida, 1.19%), Rome (pcs.New York, 1.12%), Saint-Marcel (France, 1.04%), Jupiter (Florida, 1.03%), as well as at other production sites in the continental United States (26.36%) and beyond (1.06%). Deliveries are expected to be completed in November 2025.
As reported by TSAMTO, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced its decision to purchase CH-53K King Stallion helicopters from Sikorsky Aircraft (a division of Lockheed Martin) in February 2021, preferring them to the proposed Boeing CH-47F Chinook. They are necessary to replace the obsolete CH-53D Yasur, which have been in service since the late 1960s, stationed at the Tel Nof airbase.
In July 2021, the US State Department approved the potential supply of up to 18 CH-53K heavy helicopters, as well as related equipment, weapons and services to Israel under the Foreign Military Sales program. The maximum value of the sale was estimated at $3.4 billion.
In November 2021, the interministerial committee of the Israeli government in charge of defense procurement approved the allocation of $2.4 billion for the purchase of CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in the United States.
On December 30, 2021, the Israeli Ministry of Defense signed a letter with a proposal to purchase 12 CH-53K King Stallion heavy transport helicopters for the country's Air Force. The cost of the order is estimated at $2 billion. The agreement includes an option to supply six additional "King Stallion". Under the terms of the agreement, the first helicopter deliveries are scheduled for 2025.
