H-53K's for the Navy?

[insanebikerboy]

So last week I ran into an old retired gunny at Fort Benning who works for Sikorsky. In the course of conversation talking about work he said that the Navy has agreed to purchase the 53k for the Navy, not just the Dept of the Navy. Anyone heard more about this? If so I think it'd highlight/solve the heavy lift problem I've heard about with the current batch of Navy 53's reaching their service life.

 

[usmarinemike]

And it might help get the 53K IOC before 2250AD.

 

[phrogpilot73]

And it might help get the 53K IOC before 2250AD.

Spoken by someone who doesn't know WTF he's talking about...

When I left the program, PMA-261 had the 53K in the back of their mind as a replacement to the MH-53E... No one every really said it out loud...

 

[BigIron]

It's being looked at as one possibility. There are other options being looked at as well.

 

[MIDNJAC]

H-53's are pretty much the most bad ass things with rotors around IMHO, so I say we do it We should paint them grey and not green though

 

[insanebikerboy]

When I left the program, PMA-261 had the 53K in the back of their mind as a replacement to the MH-53E... No one every really said it out loud...

I asked a similar question about the thought of buying them but he was pretty adamant that the Navy has already agreed to buy them. Of course I have no clue what his background is in Sikorsky so he may or may not be correct but it's interesting nonetheless.

 

[HeyJoe]

H-53's are pretty much the most bad ass things with rotors around IMHO, so I say we do it We should paint them grey and not green though

They went to grey paintscheme quite some time ago..........

091104-N-0807W-394 SEA OF JAPAN (Nov. 4, 2009) Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate Marvin Guinto observes a Marine Corps CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopter land aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49). Harpers Ferry is part of the Denver Amphibious Ready Group participating in the annual bilateral Korean Integrated Training Program (KITP) exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua J. Wahl/Released)

 

[MIDNJAC]

Sorry HJ, should have specified Navy -53's with that comment. The Marine -53's are bad ass looking

 

[HeyJoe]

Sorry HJ, should have specified Navy -53's with that comment. The Marine -53's are bad ass looking

 

[Pags]

H-53's are pretty much the most bad ass things with rotors around IMHO, so I say we do it We should paint them grey and not green though

MH-53Es are black.

 

[teabag53]

Why does it have to be racial???

 

[PR1 H]

Actually, European Grey. It looks pretty damn green to me though, which always confused me. Marine birds are grey, Navy birds greenish looking... I gave up trying to figure it out.

 

[BigIron]

That green/gray/black is a perfect camo for low over the water.

 

[Beans]

This might be completely crazy, but what about the H-71, as in the now-cancelled VH-71? We could solve the problem of those leftover first increment birds...

 

[HeyJoe]

This might be completely crazy, but what about the H-71, as in the now-cancelled VH-71? We could solve the problem of those leftover first increment birds...

I was at HX-21 yesterday and that subject came up. Lawyers are looking at contract and it's not exactly clear who they belong to it seems.