Issue Date: December 08, 2003
Navy Times

News Briefs

Last of a kind

CH-53 helicopters are built for heavy loads and they have carried them for four decades, three wars and dozens of humanitarian missions.

But with the strain starting to show on the aging warriors, the Marine Corps on Nov. 24
accepted delivery of the last CH-53E Super Stallion during a ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

"This is it," said John Milliman, spokesman for Marine Corps Helicopter Programs. "This is the last of the Mohicans parked right here."

The newest and last Super Stallion joined Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 at New River. The ceremony marked 23 years, almost to the day, since the same squadron took delivery of the first of 172 CH-53Es acquired by the Corps.

The Corps has not publicly announced the Massive chopper's successor, but Milliman noted that Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., the CH-53E's maker, is the only company that makes heavy-lift aircraft.

Anybody want to get into the helicopter business? [;D]

What about the Russians?
US "Heavy Lift" means [i]nothing[/i] next to one of their bad boys.  But, we couldn't very well use those.  Very bad form.