CH-53K Heavy-Lift Helicopter Program Acquisition Case History

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze the acquisition process of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter. With the ability to carry 27,000 lbs over 110 nautical miles in hot temperatures and within the same shipboard logistic footprint as its predecessor, the CH-53K will be the backbone of the USMCs ship-to-shore aviation operations. However, numerous performance setbacks have incurred significant cost growth for the USMC and delayed the aircrafts deployment to 20232024, two decades after the program was initiated in 2003. This research examines the program, in the format of a case history, to better understand the decisions and scenarios that led to increased cost growth and delayed schedules. The case history is intended to educate readers on the numerous complex considerations found within any acquisition process, in the hopes of applying the lessons learned to future programs in order to provide the best solution for the warfighter.

Document Details

• Document Type: Technical Report
• Publication Date: Dec 01, 2020
• Accession Number: AD1126849

Entities

People

• Alexis Delgado

Organizations

• Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Cyber
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircraft Equipment
• Aircraft Industry
• Aircrafts
• Airframes
• Attrition
• Business Administration
• Department Of Defense
• Deployment
• Fighter Aircraft
• Governments
• Inertial Navigation
• Lessons Learned
• Logistics
• Maintenance
• Management Personnel
• Military Science
• National Security
• Organizational Structure
• Procurement
• Rotary Wing Aircraft
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Warfare

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Defense Acquisition Program Management
• Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.