U.S. Marines practice external lift operations with Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters lifting 13 ton LAV-25 light armored vehicles at Camp Pendleton, CA. Units – Landing Support Company, 1st Transportation Support Battalion (1st TSB), Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group.
The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80 it was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. It was built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps. The less common MH-53E Sea Dragon fills the United States Navy’s need for long range minesweeping or Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) missions, and perform heavy-lift duties for the Navy. Under development is the CH-53K King Stallion, which will be equipped with new engines, new composite material rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin. (Filmed on August 22, 2017)
