Sikorsky Poised to Sustain German CH-53G Helicopter Fleet

Sikorsky Poised to Sustain German CH-53G Helicopter Fleet
July 08, 2020
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Germany’s 70 CH-53G helicopters provide airlift capabilities including troop and cargo transport, Personnel Recovery Operations, and humanitarian, medevac, aerial firefighting, and disaster relief missions.

In collaboration with German industry and the German Armed Forces, Sikorsky has developed a sustainment approach to support Germany’s CH-53G fleet of helicopters, focused on increasing spare part availability and reduced lead time. In December 2019, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) awarded a contract to Sikorsky to provide critically needed spare parts for the remainder of the CH-53G fleet’s service life, which is expected to run into the 2030s.

“With this lifetime logistics support agreement, we are building upon our more than 50-year partnership with the German Armed Forces,” says Beth Parcella, International Business Development Director. “We remain committed to increasing the availability of aircraft in the CH-53G fleet and look forward to supporting the fleet well into retirement.” 

Following some four years of testing and evaluation, Germany chose the Sikorsky CH-53G helicopter to fulfill its heavy lift requirement, and in the fall of 1969, the first two Sikorsky CH-53G aircraft (pictured here) were transferred to West German officials after being built in Stratford, Connecticut.
Following some four years of testing and evaluation, Germany chose the Sikorsky CH-53G helicopter to fulfill its heavy lift requirement, and in the fall of 1969, the first two Sikorsky CH-53G aircraft (pictured here) were transferred to West German officials after being built in Stratford, Connecticut.

Under the lifetime agreement, our sustainment approach will allow for increased budget predictability and better cost forecasting for the fleet, as well as predictive analysis that will forecast demands, reducing the lead time on spare parts. Additionally, it means improved stability among crews and maintainers; crews can continue to operate and train personnel, keeping them current in aircraft licenses and operations.

A similar sustainment framework has been used to support the CH-53D legacy fleet in Israel and the CH-53E fleet for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Germany has operated 70 CH-53G helicopters at Holzdorf and Laupheim Airbase and in missions all over the world, primarily in Afghanistan, for more than 18 years. The helicopters, procured and continually upgraded since the 1970s, provide airlift capabilities including troop and cargo transport, Personnel Recovery Operations, and humanitarian, medevac, aerial firefighting, and disaster relief missions.