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CH-53E Super Stallion/MH-53E Sea Dragon

Sikorsky

posted by Jiri Wagner

Sikorsky H-53 Series helicopters combine power and versatility like nothing else in the sky. They're at home in searing desert heat. Arctic cold. And everything in between. Flying a gamut of missions. Including heavy-lift operations. Military transport. Search and rescue. Vertical replenishment. Vertical onboard delivery. Airborne mine countermeasures. Advanced early warning. Minesweeping. Humanitarian aid. Disaster relief.

The CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon can carry 16 tons of supplies, cargo, vehicles, artillery, and troops for 50 nautical miles. They operate at cruise speeds of 170 knots. And, with air-to-air refueling, H-53E Series helicopters have unlimited range.

And they'll only get stronger. Sikorsky is currently developing an installation kit to put the 4,750 shp T64-GE-419 turboshaft in the MH-53E. And cockpit upgrades are under way for both the Marine CH-53E heavy lifter and Navy MH-53E minesweeper.

The MH-53E is used primarily for Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM), with a secondary mission of shipboard delivery.
The MH-53E was derived from the CH-53E Super Stallion and is heavier and has a greater fuel capacity than its ancestor. The MH-53s can operate from carriers and other warships. Sea Dragon is capable of carrying up to 55 troops or a 16-ton payload 50 nautical miles or a 10-ton payload 500 nautical miles. The MH-53E is capable of towing a variety of mine-sweeping countermeasures systems, including the Mk 105 minesweeping sleed, the ASQ-14 side-scan sonar, and the Mk 103 mechanical minesweeping system.