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While the United States learned several lessons during over a decade of war in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps quickly learned that the CH-46 Phrog would not be able to operate in the high and hot areas of Afghanistan and so a heavier burden would fall on the vulnerable CH-53E Super Stallion which has served as the Marine Corps’ primary heavy lift helicopter for over 30 years.
With a current fleet of over 150 CH-53E aircraft in service with the USMC, the Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the US military. It can carry over 15 tons of cargo 50 miles and back, or over 50 combat-loaded Marines. While the helicopter and its three engines are powerful enough to lift every aircraft in the Marine inventory except the massive KC-130 aerial refueling transport, the CH-53E was built to deploy on amphibious assault ships, and so it has the ability to
fold its rotors and tail making for a smaller footprint on the ship where space is always an issue.
For self defense the helicopter is armed with ramp and window-mounted .50-caliber machine guns, as well as a full array of chaff and flare dispensers for anti-air defense.
One of the great features of the Super Stallion is the ability for in-flight refueling with a probe that gives the helicopter great range compared to the AH-1s and UH-1s that they operate with. This range was put to the test early in the war when six CH-53Es took off from ships off the coast of Pakistan and flew into Afghanistan to establish the first US operating base called Camp Rhino. This was the longest amphibious raid in United States history and was essential for the massive war effort that was about to begin.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced the Marines to speed up the need for a replacement, which has come in the form of the CH-53K. While the new model looks like the E, it is actually a brand new helicopter. The current goal for the King Stallion is to carry a massive 15 tons of cargo slung externally below the aircraft for over 110 miles. This is a large increase over the CH-53E.