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| Last week, the U.S. Marine Corps received its first CH-53K King Stallion helicopter at its base in New River, North Carolina.Business InsiderColonel Hank Vanderborght, director of the CH-53 program, stated that this is the most powerful helicopter ever built in the United States. |
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| Designed by the renowned helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky, the CH-53K King Stallion made its maiden flight on October 27, 2015. It was developed based on the CH-53A Sea Stallion. |
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| Colonel Hank Vanderborght proudly declared that the CH-53K is not only the most powerful but also the most modern and intelligent helicopter ever built. However, the CH-53K also holds the title of the most expensive helicopter, with a unit price of up to $144 million, according to...BloombergThis unit price is even higher than that of the F-35 stealth fighter. |
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| The U.S. Marine Corps will purchase 200 CH-53K helicopters at a total cost of up to $25 billion. The program has been criticized for being too expensive for a helicopter whose primary mission is transport. |
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| The CH-53K is equipped with three T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines, each producing 7,500 horsepower, giving it a cruising speed of 315 km/h, a combat radius of 204 km, and an operational range of 852 km with internal fuel. |
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| The helicopter's cargo bay is very spacious, capable of holding two Humvee armored vehicles or one medium armored vehicle. The CH-53K can carry 37 fully equipped soldiers, up to a maximum of 55 soldiers, or 12 tons of externally suspended cargo. |
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| The CH-53K is equipped with a modern "glass cockpit" featuring digital displays, providing comprehensive information for its four-person crew. The main rotor uses blades made of high-strength composite materials. |
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| The helicopter is lightly armed with two 12.7 mm machine guns mounted on either side of the rear cockpit windows. The CH-53K will be the core tactical airlift force for the US Marine Corps in the future. |
Governing body: Nghe An Provincial Party Committee
Director: Tran Minh Ngoc
Electronic newspaper operating license number: 153/GP-BTTTT
Issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications on March 24, 2022
