Heavy Lift Helicopter Program: Navy Should Address Cost and Schedule Risks

Abstract

The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K is intended to transport armored vehicles, equipment, and personnel from ships to deep inland locations. The CH-53K program office is overseen by the Department of the Navy. As we have previously reported, the program has experienced delayed milestones and cost increases from almost its inception in 2005, in part, due to technical issues. GAO was asked to review the CH-53K program. This report examines the program's (1) progress toward completing testing and demonstrating system experience, (2) schedule and cost performance to date, and (3) potential future challenges. GAO analyzed cost, schedule, performance, test, manufacturing, and planning documents; and interviewed officials from the CH-53K program office, other defense offices - such as the Defense Contract Management Agency - the testing community, and the prime contractor, Sikorsky.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1149640

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Cost Estimates
  • Department Of Defense
  • Deployment
  • Governments
  • Logistics
  • Maintenance
  • Manufacturing
  • Marine Corps
  • Procurement
  • Reliability
  • Risk
  • Risk Analysis
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Warning Systems

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Software Engineering