U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, fly in formation off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, April 29th, 2016, after interoperability operations with the 25th Infantry Division's 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson)
Here are some more interesting pictures from Hawaii showing the mighty USMC Super Stallion at work.
The photographs in this post come from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 (HMH-463) based at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, in Hawaii, where the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters have conducted interoperability operations with the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade.
The Marines CH-53s also conducted personnel extraction and insertion operations, using Landing Zone Canes on Oahu, Hawaii, in support of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment during their Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation.
U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, fly in formation off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, April 29th, 2016, after interoperability operations with the 25th Infantry Division’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Capt. Tim Irish)
Thanks to its impressive lift capacity the Super Stallion is able to carry a 26,000-pound Light Armored Vehicle, 16 tons of cargo 50 miles and back, or enough Marines to lead and assault or humanitarian operation. For this reason it is used for a wide variety of tasks.
The latest version of the iconic CH-53, designed CH-53K King Stallion, will replace the current E variant in the coming years and will feature a lift capacity three times that of the Super Stallion retaining the same size of its predecessor.
U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, land in Landing Zone Canes on Oahu, Hawaii, April 29th, 2016. HMH-463 extracted the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment from Kahuku Training Area at the end of their field exercise by conducting multiple waves of assault support lift with the Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Capt. Tim Irish)
HMH-463’s task is to support the MAGTF (Marine Air-Ground Task force) Commander “by providing assault support transport of heavy equipment, combat troops, and supplies, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations” according to the squadron’s website.
HMH-463 lost 12 Marines aboard two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters that collided mid-air during night training off Oahu in January this year.
U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, left, assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, fly in formation with U.S. Army helicopters during interoperability operations off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, April 29, 2016. HMH-463 conducted interoperability operations with the 25th Infantry Division’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson)
David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.
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1 Comment
My bro flies one and just got done with his MEU such respect for them and those that keep the maintenance up to make them safe to fly!! I know that’s got to be difficult because of how old they are! Just because they’re behind the scenes and aren’t out on the front lines they need some spotlight! Thanks for keeping the CH53 family safe! I know things still happen but I also know you give 110% on getting them ready!
My bro flies one and just got done with his MEU such respect for them and those that keep the maintenance up to make them safe to fly!! I know that’s got to be difficult because of how old they are! Just because they’re behind the scenes and aren’t out on the front lines they need some spotlight! Thanks for keeping the CH53 family safe! I know things still happen but I also know you give 110% on getting them ready!