by ILH Staff and i24NEWS
Lockheed Martin and General Electric are the prime contractors on the deal that will see the US sell Israel 18 Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters.
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| A CH-53K King Stallion helicopter shown at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport, April 25, 2018 | Photo: US Marine Corps/Cpl. Hailey D. Clay/ Public Domain |
The US State Department on Friday approved the sale of 18 Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters to Israel to the tune of a reported $3,400,000,000.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz made the bid for the US-produced helicopter earlier this year to replace Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) aging fleet of CH-53 Sea Stallions as part of the IDF's multi-year modernization plan.
The package will include engines, navigation systems, weaponry, support equipment, spares and technical support.
Lockheed Martin and General Electric are the prime contractors on the deal.
The State Department said in a statement that "the United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability."
The CH-53K King Stallion is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter the design of which features three 7,500 shp (5,590 kW) engines is able to fly 20 knots (23 mph) faster than its CH-53E predecessor. It also features new composite rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin than previous CH-53 variants. It stands to be the largest and heaviest helicopter used by the US military, which has contracted 200 helicopters at a total cost of $25 billion.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
ILH Staff and i24NEWS
Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/01/us-approves-3-4b-helicopter-sale-to-israel/
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