# CH-53K — Program Element 0605212M

**Program element:** 0605212M  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605212M

## Summary

U.S. Navy requests $139.3M in FY2027 — the program's peak. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators cut 20% (to $111.4M). NAWCAD leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 71.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 135.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 139.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 95.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 91.6 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 92.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 94.2 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 139.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 139.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 139.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 111.4 | −27.8 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3069 | CH-53K Improvement | 52.2 | 135.4 | 139.3 | +3% |
| 3059 | CH-53K Development | 19.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 3069 — CH-53K Improvement

CH-53K Improvement is required for the establishment of the Heavy Lift program's organic test and evaluation efforts, software development, follow-on capability enhancements, and modernization initiatives. These efforts are focused on advancing the program's technical maturity, validating system performance, and ensuring alignment with operational requirements. Improvements address pre-planned product improvement requirements written into the Capabilities Product Document approved by Joint Requirements Oversight Committee in February 2020. The CH-53K Improvement projects provide near and long-term improvements to the fleet, focusing on documented deficiencies related to mission systems, maintainability and reliability, and obsolescence issues.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NAWCAD (45.5, 33%), Sikorsky (19.2, 14%), GE (3.8, 2.7%), COMOPTEVFOR (2.0, 1.5%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follow-on Improvements & Project Management | 10.5 | 90.5 | 71.8 |
| Organic Test & Evaluation | 41.7 | 44.9 | 67.5 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 3059 — CH-53K Development

The CH-53 is the only marinized heavy-lift helicopter in the world and is the Marine Corps only heavy-lift helicopter. The CH-53 mission is to conduct expeditionary heavy-lift assault transport of armored vehicles, equipment and personnel to support distributed operations deep inland from a sea-based center of operations. The CH-53E "Super Stallion" was introduced into operations in 1980 as an upgrade version of the CH-53D. The CH-53E has developed performance degradation, fatigue life, interoperability, maintenance supportability, and other operational concerns. An improved CH-53 is needed to support Marine Air-Ground Task Force heavy-lift requirements in the 21st century joint environment. The CH-53K "King Stallion" will provide improvements in range and payload, performance, cargo handling, turn-around times, reliability and maintainability, interoperability, and survivability. The CH-53K program is required to provide full system capability, including shipboard compatibilities, at Initial Operational Capability (IOC). Total aircraft quantities for the CH-53K program are 205 helicopters. This currently includes one Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) and four Engineering Development Models (EDMs) for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) purchased with Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds. Of the remaining 200 aircraft, four are System Demonstration Test Articles and 196 are funded with APN.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Vehicle Development | 11.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Integrated Logistics Support and Test & Evaluation (T&E) | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Systems Engineering & Project Management | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 51% | 70.9 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 0.1% | 0.2 |
| Other / unspecified | 49% | 68.2 |

**Top named industry performers:** NAWCAD ($45.5M, 33%), Sikorsky ($19.2M, 14%), GE ($3.8M, 2.7%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The CH-53K is an intelligent next generation fly by wire heavy-lift helicopter that provides significant improvements in range, payload, performance, cargo handling, turn-around times, reliability, maintainability, interoperability and survivability. It is the only marinized heavy-lift helicopter in the world and the Department of War's only heavy-lift helicopter. The CH-53K mission is to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) 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.

On 30 March 2017, the DAB reviewed the CH-53K program for a MS C decision allowing entry into Production and the ADM was signed by USD AT&L on 4 April 2017 resulting in an ACAT 1C designation. Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) completed April 2022; Initial Operating Capability (IOC) achieved in May 2022; and Full Rate Production (FRP) approved in December 2022.

## Related program elements

- [0401130F — C-17A Aircraft](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401130F) (Air Force)
- [0202834F — Aviation Support Equipment Modernization](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0202834F) (Air Force)
- [0604604A — Medium Tactical Vehicles](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604604A) (Army)
- [0604014N — F/A-18 Infrared Search and Track (IRST)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604014N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605212M (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605212M")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*