Sikorsky Begins Final Assembly of Israel’s First CH-53K ‘Pere’ Heavy-Lift Helicopter

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division has started the final assembly of the first CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the Israeli Air Force (IAF), marking a major step in one of Israel’s most significant defense acquisitions in recent years.

The company confirmed that the cockpit and cabin sections of the aircraft were recently joined at its Connecticut facility, beginning the integration phase of what will become Israel’s most advanced heavy-lift helicopter. This aircraft is the first of 12 units ordered under a $2 billion deal signed in 2023, with the first deliveries expected in 2028.

In Israeli service, the CH-53K will be designated as the “Pere”, replacing the CH-53D Yas’ur fleet, which has been the backbone of the IAF’s heavy-lift operations since the late 1960s. Despite multiple upgrades, the Yas’ur helicopters are approaching the limits of their service life, making the Pere essential for maintaining Israel’s strategic mobility.

The CH-53K offers triple the payload capacity of the older Yas’ur, along with faster cruising speeds, enhanced survivability in contested environments, and reduced maintenance requirements. Once production is complete in the United States, the helicopters will undergo additional integration work led by Elbit Systems, which will install Israeli-designed navigation, communication, and electronic warfare systems. This stage, valued at several hundred million dollars, will raise the cost of each helicopter to more than $200 million, making the Pere one of the most expensive platforms ever inducted into the IAF.

Although the modifications will extend the delivery timeline, Israeli defense officials argue that they will allow the helicopters to achieve operational readiness far more quickly once they arrive.

Israel had initially considered purchasing 18 aircraft, but only 12 were approved under the current defense budget. Officials have left open the possibility of ordering six more in the future, depending on operational needs and lessons from recent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Full delivery of the 12 helicopters is expected by 2030.

For now, the IAF will continue to rely on its aging Yas’ur fleet, which will be nearly six decades old by then. Despite their age, the helicopters remain operational thanks to two major upgrade and life-extension programs.

The CH-53K King Stallion was developed primarily for the U.S. Marine Corps, and Israel remains its only foreign customer. Germany and Japan evaluated the platform but ultimately opted for Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook.

Calling the CH-53K a “standard for future operators,” Sikorsky officials said the helicopter would give Israel unprecedented flexibility in missions ranging from troop transport and supply runs to heavy-lift operations in combat zones.

For Israel, the Pere represents not just a replacement for an aging fleet but also a guarantee that its air force will retain cutting-edge heavy-lift capacity well into the coming decades.