WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) The US Navy has awarded a contract for six additional CH-53K King Stallion helicopters to support the Marine Corps expeditionary transport of armored vehicles and personnel distant from sea-based operations centers, Lockheed Martin said in a press release on Wednesday.
"The six helicopters are part of 200 aircraft Program of Record for the US Marine Corps, and their addition makes a total of 24 CH-53K production aircraft now under contract. Under the terms of this most recent contract - known as Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 4 - Sikorsky will begin deliveries of the six aircraft in January 2024," the release said.
Lockheed Martin did not disclose the price of the helicopters. However, the King Stallion program has been plagued by rising costs, with the defense industry press reporting each chopper costing at least $138 million, more than an F-35 fifth generation jet.
In 2017, the Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky posted a price of $87 million for a King Stallion helicopter.
The King Stallion is now completing a series of test flights in preparation for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation, having flown more than 2,000 flight hours, according to the release.
