via Janes.
The US Navy (USN) is to begin negotiations with Sikorsky for the low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter, the service disclosed on 8 January.My take on this?
According to a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website, Lots 1 and 2 will be negotiated for two and four LRIP helicopters respectively. The intended contract will be initially issued as an Advance Acquisition Contract (AAC) in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 for long-lead items in support of the subsequent production buys.
The announcement of the imminent commencement of LRIP negotiations follows the official roll-out of the CH-53K in May 2014. The operational evaluation (OPEVAL) phase of the programme is expected to begin in early-2017, with the first of an expected 200 production helicopters due to be delivered to the US Marine Corps (USMC) from about 2019.
The Marine Corps is working hard to clear the trainwreck that the F-35 caused/is causing and yet programs that are must have need to be walled off and protected.
The CH-53K just got anointed as a favored son.
What is still left on the table? Almost every ground combat weapon system/vehicle.
Consider. HQMC has pushed the Navy to put into service ships that its having to figure out how to use everyday in the fleet (JHSV, MLP and AFSB)...has an airplane that is set to deliver much less than promised, is expensive and is looking like a maintenance hog (F-35)...has cut Tanks, Artillery and Infantry Battalions to the bone...and has left the one vehicle that is Marine Corps specific to languish (AAV replacement).
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