The
Luftwaffe’s venerable Sikorsky CH-53 fleet has gone through a number of
upgrades in recent years, ensuring the continuation of its service with the
German Armed Forces. Hartmut Feldmann writes.
Following the
structural reform of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) in 2011, the nation’s
Luftwaffe (German Air Force) became the sole organisation to carry out the
armed forces’ tactical airlift role. When examining the operational
capabilities of the available transport helicopter types, a decision was made
to transfer the Bell UH-1Ds and the new NH90 light transport helicopters
operated by the Luftwaffe to the Heeresflieger (German Army Aviation Corps). In
return, command and control of the aged but reliable Heeresflieger Sikorsky
CH-53s was transferred to the Luftwaffe by 2013. In 1968, the Bundeswehr
received 110 CH-53Gs, a total of which 78 survive, with four variants
currently operated – the CH-53 G, GS, GE and GA, all of which are fitted with
different equipment and features (more on which later). Until its
transfer to the Luftwaffe the CH-53 MTHs (Mittlerer Transport-hubschrauber)
served several different regiments of the Heeresflieger.
Following the
Bundeswehr’s in-theatre experiences of the Afghanistan conflict, 20 CH-53Gs
underwent an upgrade carried out by Eurocopter. Designated CH-53GS, the
aircraft received Kevlar armour-plating, new and more powerful engines with new
titanium rotor blades, a GPS navigation system, helmet-mounted night-vision
goggles, radar and laser warning receivers (Missile Launch Detection System),
chaff and flare dispensers and, optionally, two external fuel tanks carrying an
additional c.5,000 litres of fuel. In addition to the automated self-defence
systems the GS variant (the S stands for ‘Special’) can be fitted with
three M3M 12.7mm calibre machine guns, two in the side doors and one mounted on
the rear loading ramp.
http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2015/12/23/modern-military-aviation-modernising-the-luftwaffes-sikorsky-ch-53s/
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