Recently, the Naval Air Systems Command released details of a new exercise carried out with the Marines’ CH-53K. In this activity, its aircraft recovery and transport capabilities were demonstrated by completing a key test aimed at validating procedures for helicopter recovery. The trial, conducted under the supervision of the Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office (PMA-261), consisted of lifting another CH-53K King Stallion, in an activity intended to expand the operational capabilities of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) fleet.
The test was carried out by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 (HX-21) as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the sling load systems and procedures required to recover damaged or inoperable aircraft. This type of capability is not yet standardized in official U.S. Navy salvage manuals, so the results obtained will help advance the definition of specific protocols for these kinds of operations.
“This is a capability we hope we never have to use in the fleet,” said Colonel Kate Fleeger, PMA-261 program manager. “However, the continued expansion of the aircraft’s capabilities ensures a faster response to emerging requirements and highlights its performance potential,” she added. She also noted that the data collected during the test will directly contribute to future updates of the aircraft salvage operations manual.
The helicopter lifted during the test was an Engineering Development Model (EDM), used in the early stages of the King Stallion program. For the test, its three engines, most of the gearboxes, and the tail pylon were removed, reducing its weight to approximately 28,000 pounds, within the current external lift capacity of the CH-53K, which reaches 36,000 pounds. This configuration allowed for the analysis of flight characteristics and load dynamics under controlled conditions.
Once the evaluations are completed, the aircraft will be transferred to Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMHT-302) in New River, North Carolina, where it will be used as a trainer for crews in ground operations. This role will help train new generations of pilots and technical personnel, supporting the transition to the CH-53K as the USMC’s primary heavy-lift platform.
These tests add to recent precedents that highlight the system’s versatility. In August 2025, a CH-53K from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) transported an inoperable F-35B Lightning II, demonstrating its ability to carry out Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP) missions. Likewise, ten years after its first flight in 2015, the King Stallion is consolidating its role as the replacement for the CH-53E Super Stallion, with plans to field up to 200 units and achieve initial operational capability by fiscal year 2027, as part of the modernization of the Marine Corps’ power projection capabilities.
*Images sourced from the Naval Air Systems Command.
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