| The CH-53E Super Stallion is used by the United | | | | SHP (shaft horsepower) each. It has a maximum |
| States Marine Corps to perform heavy lift missions | | | | speed of 196 mph and an unrefueled range of 540 |
| and the U.S. Navy as an aerial mine sweeper. It's the | | | | nautical miles, which can be increased by using in-flight |
| largest and most powerful helicopter in the United | | | | refueling. It's armed with two window mounted |
| States inventory. | | | | 50-caliber machine guns and one ramp mounted gun in |
| The CH-53E looks very similar to its siblings the | | | | the rear. For defense it has chaff and flare dispensers |
| CH-53A/G, HH-53C and MH-53. The major difference | | | | as well as missile warning receivers. |
| is this has three engines while other models have two. | | | | Upgrades to the Super Stallion have included the |
| This provides extra power and redundancy. In fact the | | | | Helicopter Night Vision System and an improved |
| CH-53E is able to lift and recover every aircraft in the | | | | Forward Looking Infrared Imaging system (FLIR). |
| Marine inventory except the KC-130 Hercules. It's able | | | | Since it entered service the CH-53E has seen action in |
| to lift Humvees, artillery pieces, and the Marine Corps | | | | Beirut, Somalia, Kuwait, Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. |
| Light Armored Vehicle 25 (LAV 25). | | | | Additionally whenever a U.S. embassy is under |
| The Navy version, designated the MH-53E Sea | | | | imminent threat of attack the Marines use Super |
| Dragon performs long-range mine sweeping, Airborne | | | | Stallions to evacuate embassy personnel. |
| Mine Countermeasures missions and heavy lift. | | | | The CH-53E has a crew of five. Two pilots, a crew |
| The Super Stallion entered service in 1981 and has | | | | chief/right gunner, a left gunner and a tail gunner. |
| served faithfully ever since. The largest operator of it | | | | A new CH-53 will soon be in operation with the |
| is the Marine Corps who have over 100 in service. | | | | Marines. The CH-53K. Four of the new Stallions have |
| The CH-53E can carry 37 troops without centerline | | | | been built for system evaluation. The Ch-53K will be |
| seats installed and 55 combat troops with centerline | | | | able to double the payload capability of the CH-53E. It |
| seats installed or it can carry 32,000 pounds of cargo. | | | | will be powered by General Electric engines and a |
| It's capable of hoisting up to 34000 pounds. The Super | | | | utilize a new composite rotor system. It has been in |
| Stallion has a seven bladed rotor system with a rotor | | | | service for almost 30 years. It's proven its worth one |
| diameter of 79ft. It's powered by three General | | | | mission at a time and is a big part of the Marine Corps |
| Electric T64-GE-416 turbo shaft engines rated at 4,380 | | | | vertical envelopment warfare doctrine. |