Israel's “Sikorsky 2025” Project Extends Life of Vital Helicopter

Service life of the Sikorsky CH 53 helicopter has been extended until 2025 with upgraded systems entering operational status.
The Israeli project to improve the Sikorsky CH 53 helicopter, “Sikorsky 2025” has come a long way in recent years. In order to upgrade the helicopter, old systems were removed, other systems upgraded, and new systems added. This month, the upgrades have made a large step forward, with all new systems receiving operational status. 

“The significance of all this is that the project is finishing with a functional tool,” explained Maj. M, officer of the project in the “The Nocturnal Birds of Prey” squadron. “While we continue to add and upgrade systems all the time, the basic configuration of the helicopter is set.” 

In the near future, the project will include more new systems, including an encrypted communication system, navigation systems, self-defense systems, and an advanced threat detection system. Meanwhile, pilots continue to train on the Sikorsky and learn the new configuration. 

One of the helicopters to undergo the recent upgrades, an idle helicopter that has been sitting for years, is now “waking up” to a new era. The helicopter, which was grounded and stored, went through a rehabilitation process at the hands of the Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Tel Nof Airbase, and of course, has been upgraded to the “Sikorsky 2025” standards. This month, the upgraded helicopter will take off for the first time.