A Look at the CH-53K: What Can and Does a Digital Heavy Lift Aircraft Add To the Combat Force?

This podcast highlights our book detailing the coming of the CH-53K, and what a digitally-enabled heavy lift helicopter can bring to the force.The book explores the development, manufacturing, and sustainment of the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter.

With the rapid arrival of advancing technologies, such as 3-D printing, which the Marines are clearly working with, distributed operations can be combined with digital manufacturing driven by the digital twin as well.

This means that the digital backbone on the aircraft allows not only for predictive maintenance and the organizational possibility of greater accuracy in having parts moved closer to areas of the operating force of the particular aircraft, but that 3-D printing can allow for the capability to provide for enhanced sustainability in the field and in the areas of operation.

This is just one advantage which a digital age aircraft can deliver for a sustainable force.

This is a Deep Dive podcast.