The CH-53K helicopter, which is expected to arrive in Israel in the coming years and replace the old stormtroopers, completed a landmark in early September when it first performed an operational mission.
The helicopter completed the rescue of a Blackhawk (MH-60S-Knighthawk) helicopter that made a difficult landing in mountainous and high terrain in California.
The mission, which lasted about two days, was the first of the helicopter in the Marine forces, and was carried out during the first assessment and operational phase.
Photo: US Marine Corps
Now, about a month and a half after the publication of that operational activity, a new video has been released showing the impressive rescue activities in a video.
The Blackhawk helicopter stuck on a ridge with soil on a difficult route, supported a rescue mission for a lost hiker.
During the mission, the helicopter suffered a malfunction and made an emergency landing in the field.
All four crew members were not injured and were rescued.
The operating unit of the rescue helicopter exhausted all helicopter rescue options: the National Guard, naval and naval forces in the area were unable to lift the damaged helicopter with the means at their disposal.
"The VMX-1 (Marine Experiments Unit) has received assistance from the U.S. Navy Safety Center for the rescue of a Navy helicopter that made a difficult landing at an altitude of over 12,000 feet (above sea level) on Mount Hog, California," said Lieutenant Colonel Luke Frank, an officer The CH-53K helicopter project in the experimental unit.
The helicopter that crashed in the field,
The experimental unit made a quick assessment of the mission needs and concluded that the CH-53K helicopter could perform it, as it is capable of lifting extremely heavy weights in high heat and altitude conditions.
"After half a year of flying in complex contours with the CH-53K helicopter, we had the confidence that the helicopter could carry out the mission safely. Our only concern was the environmental conditions that the ground crews would have to go through to support the mission," Frank said.
The Blackhawk helicopter weighed about 15,200 pounds (about 7 tons) and was located on a ridge 12,500 feet high.
The task required was to carry it from there for a distance of 23 miles to Bishop Airport, California, for further repair.
"The new helicopter did exactly what it was intended to do. Carrying heavy weights for the Marines' missions. All the forces that took part in the operation were determined to complete it. This is a task that no other factor could have performed under the current conditions. Upon completion of the mission.
