31-May-2016 Source: HeliHub.com
The U.S. Marine Corps has confirmed that the CH-53K has completed its first external load flight test carrying a 20,000 lb. load. The achievement was made on May 26 at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Envelope expansion tests are continuing with incrementally increasing speeds with the 20,000 load, and will later move on to the full CH-53K requirement of a 27,000-lb. external payload.
Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com