Helicopters

[God Bless USA]

Which helicopter, the CH-47D/F or CH-53E is the best at the transportation of equipment and supplies.

[tigershark]

Welcome abroad God Bless USA

If you mean by best being able to lift or carry more then the MH-53E is the helicopter your looking for.  Both are great helicopters and serve our Armed Forces very well and others as well.  Since both helicopters are used daily there is a ton of stuff and info to be found on either.  If you need help finding anything let me know. 

The newest military version of Sikorsky's H-53E/S80 series, the MH-53E Sea Dragon, is the Western world's largest helicopter. The MH-53E is used primarily for Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM), with a secondary mission of shipboard delivery. Additional mission capabilities include air-to-air refueling, hover in-flight refueling, search and rescue, and external cargo transport operations, in both land and seaborne environments. 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 mine sweeping system.

Link to support above
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/h-53.htm


he CH-47F Improved Cargo Helicopter (ICH) is a remanufactured version of the CH-47D Chinook cargo helicopter with the new 4,868-horsepower Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines, enabling it to reach speeds greater than 175 mph and transport payloads weighing more than 21,000 lbs. The cost of a new CH-47F is $32 million. These costs are reduced to $8.5 million per aircraft by remanufacturing CH-47Ds to CH-47Fs with the CH-47F improved cargo helicopter (ICH) Service Life Extension Program. The ICH program was initiated to extend the service life of the CH-47 airframe, while reducing operations and support costs.

Link to support the above
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/ch-47f-ich.htm

[God Bless USA]

Thanks, now lets narrow this.  If you could only buy one type of helicopter (of the two mentioned) which one would you pick.

[Webmaster]

Welcome to MILAVIA!

Good question. I really like the -53, but I'd have to go with the Chinook here. Better value for money as far as I can tell. Also, as far as I know, the only -53s on the market are second-hand, quite old, machines, and only Israel is selling them? So I'd rather get some -47C or -47D and have them upgraded to CH-47F, and order some new machines. It's the best long term solution. After 2015, logistically the -53 will be a problem to support, when the US forces have retired them...

[iluveagles]

Neither...........they are more or less outdated and we are developing new helo's, such as the CSAR-X and that new Sikorsky Helo, whose name escapes me............

But, I do love the CH-47, and believe me that is a fun helo to ride in!

[God Bless USA]

The new Sikorsky helicopter is the CH-53K.  The CH-53K will have operating capability in 2015.
http://www.sikorsky.com/sik/products/military/ch53/index.asp

[sergeyl]

[shawn a]

Hey Sergeyl,
What the heck is it?? A CH-47-- a CH-53?, or something in between, like a -52 perhaps?

[Webmaster]

yeah he only read/translated the topic title

anyway, to get back on topic, CH-53K testing is gathering pace, we should see the first flight of the improved CH-53K coming year I'm guessing. So I guess it's CH-47F vs CH-53K... the -K looks pretty impressive, nice to see the CH-53 family continuing. It won't be a big seller like the CH-47F though.

With the 47F and 53K on the US side, and the Mi-26T2 on the Russian side, I guess we'll have to wait and see if China goes on to develop a heavy helicopter until we really see another heavy, because the new AW/Sikorsky/Mi-38/etc aren't that big. So far China has been continuing development of assault and medium helicopters, but I don't know if they're planning a heavy. The Frelons (and Frelon copies?) are still the heaviest ones? I think if they need one, they will first import the Mi-26, or its design. I think some Chinese civilian company already got the Mi-26, or maybe I'm mistaken.


Because it says best and not most capable of transport, I think the answer to the original question may be indeed "neither", as the V-22 Osprey is a faster mode of transport. It's just a bit too limited I think. In the past, I was really expecting it to carry a bigger load than it does. Turned out to be a bit of let down, even though it's better than the CH-46. Great feat, and whatever you think about it, with also the CH-53K soon, seems like a good mix to have. Who cares about the Chinook if you can have those two together.

But... how many Kilos will be built...

[sergeyl]

[Webmaster]

Same as MAKS / 88 Blue?

Is it a new Mi-26T2?

[sergeyl]