Printed from https://fiscalreceipts.com/program/0605212M/ — data as of August 12, 2026. Every figure is citation-backed; see the page online for per-number provenance.
CH-53K RDTE
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Budget Figures
FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why partial FY2026 data? →
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY24 | $154.1M |
| FY25 | $71.4M |
| FY26 | $135.4M |
All series figures: R-1 TOA · PB2026
The vertical scale does not start at zero: the baseline sits just below this program’s smallest year, so a low point on this line is not a small amount. Read the shape for direction and the grid below for the figures.
● actuals (line) · ○ enacted · ◇ request — gaps are editions the program is absent from, never interpolated.
| Series | FY17 | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuals | $0 | $0 | $383.6M | $489.7M | $392.4M | $212.2M | $213.6M | $154.1M | ||
| Enacted | – | $0 | $336.9M | $507.0M | $406.4M | $256.9M | $220.2M | $222.3M | $71.4M | |
| Request | – | – | $326.9M | $517.0M | $406.4M | $256.9M | $220.2M | $222.3M | $86.1M | $135.4M |
blank = series not published for this year; – = absent from that edition.
Asked vs spent: the PB2024 book requested $222.3M for FY2024; the PB2026 book reported $154.1M as actual total obligation authority — $68.2M below the request. 154.1 − 222.3 = -68.2 USD millions — the compact figures above are rounded for reading.
Program Lineage
No predecessor/successor lineage was recorded for this program element — no FY-to-FY transfer into or out of this line was stated in the ingested J-books, and none was inferred from the program structure.
Description
Mission — CH-53K
The CH-53K is a next generation fly by wire heavy-lift helicopter that provides significant improvements in range, payload, performance, cargo handling, turn-around times, reliability, maintainability, interoperability and survivability. It is the only marinized heavy-lift helicopter in the world and the Department of Defense's only heavy-lift helicopter. The CH-53K mission is to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Commander by providing assault support transport of heavy equipment, combat troops, and supplies, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations. - Provides a greater payload at greater ranges than any current or emerging rotorcraft to support the rapid transition of Joint and Coalition forces from contact to blunt layer activities in a contested environment. - Addresses current connector shortfalls making it a critical enabler in the execution of distributed operations; a key component of the Marine Corps' Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations concept which supports the President's National Security Strategy, the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy and the Navy's Distributed Maritime Operational concept. - Capable of integrating into the current battlefield and taking advantage of future technologies, such as manned/unmanned teaming and MAGTF digital interoperability. - The modern fly by wire system provides greater safety, survivability, and reliability compared to other joint rotorcraft. - When compared to the legacy aircraft, improves reliability and decreases operations and support costs by reducing maintenance man hours per flight hour while maximizing work effectiveness and efficiency. Total aircraft quantities for the CH-53K program are 205 helicopters. This currently includes one Ground Test Vehicle (GTV), four Engineering Development Models (EDMs) for System Development and Demonstration (SDD), and four System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTAs) purchased with Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds. The remaining 196 aircraft are funded with Aircraft Procurement, Navy (APN). The CH-53K SDD program received a successful Milestone C decision on 4 April 2017. Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) completed April 2022, Initial Operating Capability (IOC) achieved in May 2022, Full Rate Production (FRP) approved in December 2022. Remaining Project Unit (PU) 3059 funding is required to complete SDD and test activities. PU 3069 began in FY2024 and established the Heavy Lift program's organic test and evaluation efforts and follow-on software development. This effort supports correction of deficiencies for fleet aircraft and developmental test to facilitate Preplanned Product Improvement (P3I) requirements and Reliability & Maintainability initiatives. JUSTIFICATION FOR BUDGET ACTIVITY: This program is funded under SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION because it includes those projects that have passed Milestone B approval and are conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to a full-rate production decision.
Mission — CH-53K Development
The CH-53 is the only marinized heavy-lift helicopter in the world and is the Marine Corps only heavy-lift helicopter. The CH-53 mission is to conduct expeditionary heavy-lift assault transport of armored vehicles, equipment and personnel to support distributed operations deep inland from a sea-based center of operations. The CH-53E "Super Stallion" was introduced into operations in 1980 as an upgrade version of the CH-53D. The CH-53E has developed performance degradation, fatigue life, interoperability, maintenance supportability, and other operational concerns. An improved CH-53 is needed to support Marine Air-Ground Task Force heavy-lift requirements in the 21st century joint environment. The CH-53K "King Stallion" will provide improvements in range and payload, performance, cargo handling, turn-around times, reliability and maintainability, interoperability, and survivability. The CH-53K program is required to provide full system capability, including shipboard compatibilities, at Initial Operational Capability (IOC). Total aircraft quantities for the CH-53K program are 205 helicopters. This currently includes one Ground Test Vehicle (GTV) and four Engineering Development Models (EDMs) for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) purchased with Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds. Of the remaining 200 aircraft, four are System Demonstration Test Articles and 196 are funded with APN.
Mission — CH-53K Improvement
CH-53K Improvement is required for the establishment of the Heavy Lift program's organic test and evaluation efforts, software development, and follow-on improvements. Improvements address pre-planned product improvement requirements written into the Capabilities Product Document approved by Joint Requirements Oversight Committee in February 2020. The CH-53K Improvement projects provide near and long term improvements to the fleet, focusing on documented deficiencies related to mission systems, maintainability and reliability, and obsolescence issues.
Justification
No accomplishments or planned-program narratives in this line's J-book detail — some exhibits carry figures without per-project prose.
Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)
P-1/R-1 workbook Total Obligation Authority basis (USD thousands) · PB2026.
Exhibit R-1
| Account | Org | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | N | FY24 Actuals | $154.1M |
| Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | N | FY25 Enacted | $71.4M |
| Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | N | FY25 Total | $71.4M |
| Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | N | FY26 Disc. Request | $135.4M |
| Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy | N | FY26 Total | $135.4M |
Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)
J-book detail basis (R-2/P-40, USD millions) · PB2026 — a different accounting basis from the P-1/R-1 workbook TOA above; where the two disagree, the reconciliation strip under Budget Figures shows both.
Wider than this screen — swipe the table sideways for the remaining fiscal-year columns.
| Project | All Prior Years | FY24 Actuals | FY25 Total | FY26 Base | FY26 Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Element | $1.69B | $154.1M | $71.4M | $135.4M | $135.4M |
| 3059: CH-53K Development | $1.69B | $133.1M | $19.7M | $0 | $0 |
| 3069: CH-53K Improvement | $0 | $21.0M | $51.6M | $135.4M | $135.4M |
No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 1,741 programs). why coverage is partial? →
Awards
No awards are linked to this program element at high confidence — the budget→award crosswalk only asserts links it can defend, and this line has none yet.
Lobbying Mentions
No Senate LDA lobbying filing in the tracked data mentions this program element by code or alias.
Oversight
Department-level designation (not specific to this program)
GAO lists 5 high-risk areas for DOD as a whole. That designation covers the department, not CH-53K RDTE — no program-specific GAO finding for this line is in the ingested data. See the DOD oversight record.
No research dossier for this program — dossiers cover 50 of 1,741 programs, the largest fully J-book-detailed lines by FY2026 requested dollars. why no dossier here? →