(AOF) – American and global defense and security company, Lockheed Martin announces that the US Navy has given the green light for the full production of the Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter. Production should thus increase to more than 20 helicopters per year in the years to come. In this context, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is purchasing critical materials to support the construction and full-rate production of CH-53K helicopters at its digital factory.
“Increased production of the world’s most technologically advanced helicopter enables the United States Marine Corps to grow its CH-53K King Stallion fleet and support mission success,” said Bill Falk, director of Sikorsky’s CH-53K program. “This production authorization stabilizes Sikorsky’s domestic supply chain and demonstrates our enduring partnership with the Marine Corps.”
This decision to produce at full capacity inspires confidence in the diverse network of more than 200 CH-53K suppliers spanning 34 states. The Marine Corps’ commitment to the CH-53K will allow vendors to buy in bulk, saving money and reducing overall costs for the U.S. military and international allies.
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The end of a duopoly?
For several decades, the American Boeing and the European Airbus have shared 99% of the world market for airliners with more than 110 seats. This market weighs more than 100 billion dollars per year. However, this duopoly seems to be weakened in 2022 for several reasons. First, for the first time, two medium-haul single-aisle aircraft, the Chinese Comac’s C919 and the Russian Irkut’s MC-21, are about to enter service. Added to this is the Boeing 737 MAX crisis. With the cessation of deliveries of this aircraft between 2019 and 2021, the production balance has been broken. In 2021 Boeing posted 340 deliveries, with Airbus remaining well ahead with 611.