Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Sikorsky subsidiary has secured a potential $2.7 billion contract from the U.S. Navy to develop and deliver 35 more CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters.
The contract includes the development of 12 units of Lot 7 CH-53Ks and 15 Lot 8 aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps and eight helicopters for Israel’s air force, Lockheed said Thursday.
“This contract award for 35 CH-53K helicopters stabilizes Sikorsky’s nationwide supply base, creates additional production efficiencies, and provides the U.S. Marine Corps with transformative 21st century technologies,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky.
In December, the Navy transitioned the CH-53K program to full-rate production, which could ramp up production of the aircraft to more than 20 units on an annual basis.
Sikorsky is buying critical materials and long-lead items to back the manufacturing increase and will start delivering the aircraft under the contract in 2026.
CH-53K can support expeditionary assault transport, humanitarian relief, search and rescue and firefighting missions and is designed to transport an external load up to 27,000 pounds over 110 nautical miles.
