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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah company, important to our nation's defense, celebrated a major milestone Friday. The composite manufacturer unveiled a critical component for the next generation of Marine helicopters.
The Sikorsky CH-53K is the future of Marine helicopters. ITT Defense in Salt Lake City is helping to make that helicopter lighter, faster and tougher in battle.
"ITT's technology is helping our armed forces to be more effective, more efficient, and more exceptional," said Mike Therson, ITT Director of Composite Systems.
- Double the lift in USMC hot day conditions at 110 nm as compared to the current heavy lift aircraft
- 42% reduction in direct maintenance cost
- 63% reduction in maintenance man-hour per flight hour
- Increased survivability
- 20 kt increase in speed
ITT gathered the staff together to celebrate the completion of a lighter, stronger carbon composite component called a sponson. The 25-foot-long carbon composite piece is essentially a fuel tank that protects the fuel from ground fire in the battle field.
Gregory Hames, Sikorsky program manager for the project, said that's a critical asset for the helicopter when it comes to protecting Marines onboard.
"Even if they take on live fire from the ground," he said, "the sponson's integrity will be intact."
In Afghanistan today, Sikorsky helicopters are the workhorses of the battlefield.
Capt. Rick Muldoon is the military program manager for H-53 helicopters.
"We're not moving on the roads very much because of the IED (roadside bomb threat), so everything is going via air, when it can," said Muldoon.
They carry heavy equipment and troops. The CH-53K is a flight into the future of warfare.
"It's a huge improvement we're talking about in those environments: high and hot," Muldoon said, referring to the heat and the altitude in Afghanistan.
The first helicopter built almost entirely of composite materials -- the Sikorsky CH-53K -- requires less fuel, carries twice the load, three times as far as today's helicopters.
The $100 million program also creates work: 40 new jobs this year, 60 next year. The workers take pride in the project.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
