Senior officials within the Israeli Air Force (IAF) are raising concerns about a capability gap that looks set to appear in 2025 with the retirement of the CH-53D Yasur 2025. Although Israel has committed itself to the Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin CH-53K King Stallion, (known as the Super Yasur within the Israeli Defence Force), these won’t arrive until 2026 at the earliest. 

The IAF is keen to acquire the new CH-53Ks as soon as possible, but recent discussions with Lockheed Martin officials last week concluded that this will not be possible. Currently, Israel has committed to purchasing the ‘green’ version which will be the same as that for U.S. Marine Corps. Yet, Israel has not signed off a document detailing the changes it wants to make to the helicopter to incorporate specific Israeli systems and equipment. Officials within the IDF want to sign off on the ‘blue’ (Israeli) variant of the deal as quickly as possible in the hope of reducing the timetable for delivery, but this doesn’t appear likely now. 

“Israeli systems will be installed in the helicopter. This is a long process, which isn’t simple monetarily or in terms of integration. But in the end, like the Hercules before it, it will become an Israeli helicopter for all intents and purposes,” Brigadier General Joshua Shani, CEO of Lockheed Martin Israel, told a media briefing in Berlin recently.

“There is nothing in the world that approaches the level of this helicopter. It is the only helicopter that meets the [IAF’s] needs. It stands alone,” Shani added. “The IAF will receive it in 2025 as a “green” helicopter, and it will belong to the air force. It still won’t land in Israel; rather it will land only a year later and will then undergo a process of integration. It won’t be operational within the next five years.”

To date, there is still some confusion as to how many Israel has ordered or intends to order the CH-53K. As the first overseas customer for the CH-53K King Stallion, Sikorsky revealed it’s set to build four low-rate production examples for the nation. But it has not been confirmed if these are part of, or in addition to the original order for 12 placed in late December 2021. 

Further reports indicate that Sikorsky, the Lockheed Martin subsidiary, is preparing to build seven CH-53K helicopters for Israel.

What has been confirmed, comes from the U.S. State Department which originally approved the US$3.4 billion sales of 18 CH-53Ks in July 2021.