{"id":39455,"date":"2020-02-03T14:10:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-03T14:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/02\/03\/replacing-us-marines-ch-53k-helos-with-ch-47f-choppers-is-a-poor-idea\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:11:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:11:43","slug":"replacing-us-marines-ch-53k-helos-with-ch-47f-choppers-is-a-poor-idea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/commentary\/2020\/02\/03\/replacing-us-marines-ch-53k-helos-with-ch-47f-choppers-is-a-poor-idea\/","title":{"rendered":"Replacing US Marine\u2019s CH-53K helos with CH-47F choppers is a poor idea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Dec. 18, Bloomberg reported<\/a> that Pentagon officials are considering reducing the number of Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion<\/a> heavy-lift helicopters and replacing them with modified Army CH-47F Chinook medium-lift helicopters. In doing so, the Pentagon hopes to save money by introducing a mixed fleet of less capable aircraft. Unfortunately, such a move will significantly degrade Marine Corps heavy-lift capabilities, add unnecessary logistical and training burdens, and reduce the technologies needed to fight on tomorrow\u2019s digital battlefield, while offering minimal, if any, cost savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most alarming is that the modified CH-47F can\u2019t lift 94 percent of Marine Corps vehicles. Those vehicles include the Corps\u2019 Light Armored Vehicles, trucks and the armored Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, or JLTV, that will replace the aging fleet of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CH-53K meets all Marine Corps lift requirements, including the ability to carry a JLTV plus 4,400 pounds of additional payload a distance of 110 nautical miles. Moving vehicles, equipment, water and fuel is essential to the Corps\u2019 war-fighting plans in the Pacific, which requires establishing expeditionary advance base operations ashore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put simply, the CH-47F does not have the lift or the range to support establishing those critical bases needed for a fight in the Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Bloomberg reports that the director of the Pentagon\u2019s cost assessment office stated to Congress that it is \u201creviewing the operational suitability\u201d of procuring a modified CH-47F. It\u2019s worth recalling a similar review conducted more than 20 years ago. From 1998-2003, the Army, Air Force and Navy partnered to conduct what was called the Joint Shipboard Helicopter Integration Process<\/a>, or JSHIP. It was chartered to develop and evaluate a standard process for the integration of multiservice rotorcraft aboard air-capable U.S. Navy ships. Task force members Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Lambert and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Mark Huber summarized the results, explaining:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is unreasonable to expect Army and Air Force helicopters to operate with the same ease on ships as their Navy and Marine Corps counterparts. Even with unlimited resources and time, the current program [JSHIP] could not accomplish that result. In any case, the cost would be enormous. … The cost of retrofitting even a fraction of existing Army and Air Force helicopter fleets with rotor brakes and automatic blade fold and spread systems is prohibitive. … Unless Army and Air Force rotary-wing aircraft are designed with shipboard operations in mind \u2014 an expensive and unrealistic proposition \u2014 the same challenges will arise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are numerous reasons why the CH-47 would require \u201ccost prohibitive\u201d modifications. While underway, the flight deck simultaneously provides aircraft parking, landing spots, passenger embarkation and cargo handling for 31 helicopters, tilt-rotors and jets. Operating in this confined space requires unique systems to conduct flight operations routinely and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\t