U.S. Marines Upgrade CH-53K Helicopter to Keep Communications Resilient Under Electronic Warfare

Sikorsky received a $15.49 million engineering order for the CH-53K Mission Systems Configuration 2028 upgrade. The effort will integrate and qualify improved data transfer, identification friend or foe, aircraft radios, and an anti-jam waveform so the heavy-lift helicopter can remain connected and identifiable in contested electromagnetic environments. The work supports a fleet preparing for its first operational deployment in fiscal 2027, but the Pentagon has not identified the specific equipment, waveform, performance gains, or schedule for modifying every aircraft. Reliable communications preserve the value of heavy lift by allowing crews to receive routing, threat, and landing-zone updates.