USMC 53D's to be refurbed, pressed into service in Iraq/Afghanistan

[ChuckMK23]

Rotor and Wing magazine reports HQMC announcement to bring as many as 15-20 CH-53D's into service in 2007 - to serve in HMM squadrons as a stop gap between V-22 production and CH-46E combat attrition.

The aircraft, preserved in spraylat cocoons, are currently at AMARC - and would likely follow the similar restoration procedures for 6 CH-53E's that were removed from storage in 2006.

Looks like these D's will would truly go to HMM units and not HMH's.

In other news - the H-53E transmission bulkhead rework project was given a green light and work on USMC and USN 53E's should be progressing - as a stopgap to the CH-53K program.

Looks like the lack of heavy lift is really a problem if they are pulling 53D's out of the boneyards!

 

[BigIron]

Guess 302 is going to be busy getting folks up to speed then.

 

[phrogdriver]

Wow, D guys are actually working for a living now!

I suspect it will be fairly minimal impact on the training pipeline with 15-20D models. They'll squeeze some extra 53 bubbas out of non-flying jobs somehow. Even if they called the squadrons "HMM," they'd probably just restand some of the defunct D squadron lineage. I can't see a current 46 HMM doing a transition to 53Ds.

 

[Gatordev]

Wow, D guys are actually working for a living now!

I suspect it will be fairly minimal impact on the training pipeline with 15-20D models. They'll squeeze some extra 53 bubbas out of non-flying jobs somehow.

They're managing to squeeze some 53D bubbas out of flying jobs, too.

 

[plc67]

I'm ready when they drag the UH-1Es out of the boneyard. I don't think it's manly to fly multi engine helicopters.

 

[MasterBates]

<---- Is now going to have nightmares of being dragged kicking and screaming out of a COD and back into a 60B..

 

[Lawman]

Waiting for old Tomcat guys to start chiming in about how they should bring back the Turkey.

The old Tomcat guys arent the ones saying that. Its the fanboys that have never sat in a TacAir platform in their lives and read Rear Admiral Gilchrists article like its the gospel every night before they go to sleep.

 

[HeyJoe]

Waiting for old Tomcat guys to start chiming in about how they should bring back the Turkey.

It's not the Tomcat guys who say that* so don't hold your breath (it's the fans)...besides, bringing back the 54Ds is a stopgap fix for not enough 46E or Ospreys. Tomcat doesn't perform that mission.


*Tomcat had a great run...35 years on the flightdeck. The Phantom didn't even make 25 years of carrier service and was thoroughly outclassed when it departed service (sorry Catmando). The Tomcat went out with head held high like a TV series that ends while still viable, but the Tomcat was old and the effort to maintain them was getting out of sight. The transitioning squadrons aren't lamenting being in Super Hornets and I haven't seen any of the "old" guys crying for it to return. It simply earned a place in the rich heritage of Naval Aviation as have many other noteworthy platforms. Many of us have super memories, but you'll never hear me call to bring it back...of course there are a squadron's worth of B and D models each in War Reserve right now just in case.

 

[BigIron]

Hmm. Wonder if they need 53 guys to help out....

 

[HeyJoe]

Hmm. Wonder if they need 53 guys to help out....

Didn't the HC-4 guys already get transitioned into Sandbox logistics support with Armor and ramp guns?

 

[BigIron]

Yes, HJ, however they have decomm message in hand. Detailers have visited and orders have been cut. Their XO is taking command of HSC-2. It's really going down this time. Great article btw.

 

[KBayDog]

The Tomcat went out with head held high like a TV series that ends while still viable...

...and is often replayed on AW just like those same shows on Nick at Nite.

 

[E5B]

Looks like the lack of heavy lift is really a problem if they are pulling 53D's out of the boneyards!

Chuck, you're a brave soul using the terms "Heavy lift" and "53D" in the same sentence. Sure the Delta squadrons are prefaced with HMH but they are medium lift. As old and tired as those airframes are they struggle to lift 'much' more than a CH-46E. Yes there is a high demand for heavy lift so why get ride of so called "heavy lift Deltas" and replace with Medium lift Ospreys....? When the USMC talks about lack of heavy lift they mean the CH-53E sustainment and bridging the gap to the Kilo (which is a huge bone of contention).


I find it very interesting that CH-53D's are being pulled from the "boneyard".

 

[mxracer19]

small threadjack...but what do they do with the old tomcats? Sell them to upcoming nations? idc what anyone says...I wish I had one. I still remember the day an F-14 buzzed our middle school 6 years ago in northwest NJ...it was the best day of my life, and easily the pinnacle of my childhood. Although I think the pilot got grounded for 8 months...

When did the 53D leave service?

 

[E5B]

CH-53Ds are still in service.