SIKORSKY H-53 SEA STALLION
SEA STALLION SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Sikorsky Aircraft Division, United Aircraft Corp., Bridgeport,
Connecticut, USA (In 1975, became Sikorsky Aircraft Division, United Technologies Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, USA) |
| Models: | S-65, S-80 |
| Designation: | H-53 (CH-53) |
| Names: | Sea Stallion; Super Jolly Green Giant (HH-53B/C), Super Stallion (CH-53E), Sea Dragon (MH-53E) |
| First official flight: | (YCH-53A) 14/10/1964 |
| Factory production period: | 1963 - present |
| Primary service period: | 1966 - present |
| Last official flight: | Still in service |
SEA STALLION VARIANTS
| 1964 | Model S-65 | YCH-53A | 2 | |
| 1965 | Model S-65 | CH-53A | 139 | Total: 141 |
| 1967 | Model S-65 | HH-53B | 8 | |
| 1968 | Model S-65 | HH-53C | 44 | |
| 1968 | Model S-65 | CH-53C | 20 | Total: 072 |
| 1969 | Model S-65 | CH-53D | 126 | |
| 1968 | Model S-65 | S-65C-1 | 2 | |
| 1969 | Model S-65 | S-65C-2 | 2 | |
| 1969 | Model S-65 | S-65C-3 | 35 | |
| 1972 | Model S-65 | RH-53D | 36 | Total: 201 |
| 1974 | Model S-80 | YCH-53E | 2 | |
| 1975 | Model S-80 | CH-53E | 195 | |
| 1983 | Model S-80 | MH-53E | 32 | |
| 1989 | Model S-80 | S-80M-1 | 11 | Total: 240 |
| Grand Total: 654 |
| 1969 |
Foreign built - West Germany: Model S-65 |
CH-53G | 110 | Grand Total: 110 |
SEA STALLION PRODUCTION
YCH-53A
Prototype twin-engined, 6-bladed
rotor, heavy transport / assault
helicopter for USMC.
Produced 1963 - 1964
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.151613, 151614 | 65-001, 65-002 | 2 | Total: 002 |
CH-53A
As YCH-53A, engine upgrade, minor
changes for USMC. 7 temporarily to
USAF with s/n: 67-14426 / 67-14432.
Produced 1965 - 1968
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.151686 / 151701 | 65-003 / 65-018 | ||
| BuNo.152392 / 152415 | 65-019 / 65-042 | ||
| BuNo.153274 / 153313 | 65-051 / 65-090 | ||
| BuNo.153705 / 153739 | 65-095 / 65-129 | ||
| BuNo.154863 / 154884 | 65-134 / 65-155 | ||
| BuNo.154887, 154888 | 65-158, 65-159 | 139 | Total: 139 |
| 22 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
HH-53B Super Jolly Green Giant
As CH-53A, SAR version for USAF,
engine upgrade, refuelling probe,
external fuel tanks, rescue hoist.
Produced
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| 66-14428 / 66-14435 | 65-043 / 65-050 | 8 | Total: 008 |
HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant
As HH-53B, engine upgrade, cargo
hook, minor changes for USAF.
Produced
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| 67-14993 / 67-14996 | 65-091 / 65-094 | ||
| 68-8283 / 68-8286 | 65-130 / 65-133 | ||
| 68-10354 / 68-10369 | 65-160 / 65-175 | ||
| 69-5784 / 69-5786 | 65-232 / 65-234 | ||
| 69-5787 / 69-5797 | 65-242 / 65-252 | ||
| 73-1647 / 73-1652 | 65-385 / 65-390 | 44 | Total: 044 |
| 30 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
CH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant
As HH-53C, transport only version
for USAF.
Produced 1968 - 1970
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| 68-10922 / 68-10926 | 65-218 / 65-222 | ||
| 68-10927 / 68-10933 | 65-225 / 65-231 | ||
| 70-1625 / 70-1632 | 65-335 / 65-342 | 20 | Total: 020 |
CH-53D
As CH-53A, larger cabin, engine
upgrade for USMC.
Produced 1968 - 1972
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.156654, 156655 | ? | ||
| BuNo.156656 / 156677 | 65-176 / 65-197 | ||
| BuNo.156951 / 156970 | 65-198 / 65-217 | ||
| BuNo.157127 / 157176 | 65-253 / 65-302 | ||
| BuNo.157727 / 157756 | 65-303 / 65-332 | ||
| BuNo.157930, 157931 | 65-333, 65-334 | 126 | Total: 126 |
S-65C-1
As CH-53D, pre-production version
for West Germany. US designation:
CH-53G.
Produced 1968
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.154885, 154886 | 65-156, 65-157 | 2 | Total: 002 |
| All delivered as: (WGAF) 84+01, 84+02 |
|||
S-65C-2
As CH-53D, military export version for Austria.
Austrian designation: S-65-Oe.
Produced 1969
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut
| (Austria) 5L-MA, 5L-MB | 65-223, 65-224 | 2 | Total: 002 |
S-65C-3
As CH-53D, military export version for Israel,
named as the Ya'sur (Albatross).
Produced 1969 - 1975
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut
| (Israel) mixed 030 to 967 | mixed 65-235 to 65-409 | 35 | Total: 035 |
RH-53D
As CH-53D, MCM version, engine
upgrade, refuelling probe for US Navy.
Later redesignated as MH-53D.
Produced 1972 - 1977
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.158682 / 158693 | 65-355 / 65-366 | ||
| BuNo.158744 / 158761 | 65-367 / 65-384 | ||
|
BuNo.160099 / 160104 - 6 to Iran as 6-2701 / 6-2706. |
65-396 / 65-401 | 36 | Total: 036 |
YCH-53E Super Stallion
Prototypes with three-engined upgrade,
7-bladed rotor, longer fuselage, redesigned
tail assembly for USMC.
Produced 1973 - 1974
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.159121, 159122 | 65-391, 65-392 | 2 | Total: 002 |
CH-53E Super Stallion
As YCH-53E, production version
for USMC, refuelling probe, first 2
were pre-production prototypes.
Several delivered as the MH-53E.
Produced 1975 - present
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.159876, 159877 | 65-410, 65-411 | ||
| BuNo.161179 / 161184 | 65-412 / 65-417 | ||
| BuNo.161252 / 161265 | 65-418 / 65-431 | ||
| BuNo.161381 / 161395 | 65-432 / 65-446 | ||
| BuNo.161532 / 161543 | 65-447 / 65-458 | ||
| BuNo.161988 / 162012 | 65-459 / 65-483 | ||
| BuNo.162478 / 162496 | 65-484 / 65-502 | ||
| BuNo.162499 / 162502 | 65-505 / 65-508 | ||
| BuNo.162517 / 162526 | 65-523 / 65-532 | ||
| BuNo.163051 / 163087 | mixed 65-539 to 65-581 | ||
| BuNo.164358 / 164367 | mixed 65-582 to 65-596 | ||
| BuNo.164536 / 164538 | 65-597 / 65-599 | ||
| BuNo.164539 | 65-591 | ||
| BuNo.164776 / 164791 | mixed 65-600 to 65-634 | ||
| BuNo.164859, 164860 | 65-635, 65-636 | ||
| BuNo.165243 / 165254 | 65-637 / 65-648 | ||
| BuNo.165344 / 165347 | 65-649 / 65-652 | ||
| BuNo.165503, 165504 | 65-653, 65-654 | ||
| BuNo.165651 | 65-655 | 195 | Total: 195 |
| 25 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
MH-53E Sea Dragon
As YMH-53E, MCM version for US Navy.
Produced
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut (SI)
| BuNo.162497, 162498 | 65-503, 65-504 | ||
| BuNo.162503 / 162516 | 65-509 / 65-522 | ||
| BuNo.164764 / 164767 | 65-606 / 65-609 | ||
| BuNo.164768 / 164773 | 65-611 / 65-616 | ||
| BuNo.164792, 164793 | 65-602, 65-603 | ||
| BuNo.164861 / 164864 | 65-617 / 65-620 | 32 | Total: 032 |
| 13 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
S-80M-1
As MH-53E, military export version for Japan.
Produced
Sikorsky Stratford, Connecticut
| (JMSDF) 8621 / 8631 | mixed 65-540 to 65-610 | 11 | Total: 011 |
VH-53F -
CH-53E VIP staff transport version, 6 cancelled.
S-80E - Military export version of CH-53E, no orders as yet.
CH-53K - Upcoming CH-53E upgrade for USMC / US Navy.
|
Grand Total: 654 |
Foreign built - West Germany:
CH-53G
As CH-53G, licence built version for
West Germany. First 20 were built
from US supplied kits.
Produced
(VFW-Fokker GmbH)
Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke GmbH (VFW),
Postfach, West Germany
| (WGAF) 84+03 / 84+99 | V65-001 / V65-097 | ||
| (WGAF) 85+00 / 85+12 | V65-098 / V65-110 | 110 | Grand Total: 110 |
SEA STALLION CONVERSIONS
Military Conversions
US Navy / USMC
| GCH-53A | 1 | CH-53A(154867), ground inst. airframe, non-standard s/n: 67-30052. |
| RH-53A | 15 |
CH-53A, 1971-1973, USN mine counter-measures (MCM) conversions with engine upgrade. |
| (MH-53A) | 15 | RH-53A, redesignation for dual SAR / Special Forces role. |
| VH-53D | 2 | CH-53D, 1970, VIP staff transport conversions. |
| YMH-53E | 1 |
CH-53E(161395), 1981, prototype to the MH-53E Sea Dragon variant for mine counter-measure (MCM) duties, larger side sponsons. |
USAF
| NCH-53A | 1+ | CH-53A, permanent test conversions. |
| TH-53A | 6 | CH-53A, 1989, trainer conversions. Assigned s/n: 66-14468 / 66-14473. |
| HH-53H | 11 |
1 HH-53B / 8 HH-53C / 2 CH-53C, 1975-1986, "Pave Low III" avionics upgrade for night SAR duties. 1 HH-53B prototype designated as YHH-53H "Pave Low II". |
| (MH-53H) | 8 |
HH-53H, 1986-1990, redesignation with avionics upgrade for dual SAR / Special Forces role. |
| MH-53J | 43 |
35 HH-53B, HH-53C, CH-53C / 8 MH-53H, 1986, "Pave Low III
Enhanced" avionics upgrade for dual SAR / Special Forces role, engine upgrade. |
| (TH-53B) | 6 | MH-53J, trainer conversions. |
| (MH-53M) | 25 | MH-53J, 1998, "Pave Low IV" SAR / Special Forces avionics upgrade. |
Foreign Conversions
| CH-53GS | 20 | CH-53G, major avionics / equipment upgrade for West Germany. |
| Ya'sur 2000 | 1+ | S-65C-3, major avionics / equipment upgrade for Israel. |
Civil Conversion
| S-65C |
1 |
CH-53D, 1976, conversion for civil use test flown by NASA. |
FOREIGN MILITARY SERVICE
- CH-53's in military service with Austria, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mexico
and West Germany.