Israel has awarded Elbit Systems a $130 million contract to integrate indigenous aviation systems on its future CH-53K Pereh heavy-lift helicopters.
The deal, managed by the Defense Procurement Directorate, covers the installation of locally developed command-and-control systems, avionics, electronic warfare suites, and a directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) anti-missile system across 12 aircraft.
All helicopters were procured from the United States under a 2021 Foreign Military Sales agreement and are currently being manufactured by Sikorsky in Connecticut. After assembly, the airframes will move to a dedicated integration line for configuration to Israeli operational standards.
Elbit said the upgrades will enhance cockpit functionality, improve operations in complex environments, and strengthen obstacle detection and safe-landing identification. Deliveries of the CH-53Ks are scheduled between 2028 and 2030, with the new fleet set to replace Israel’s CH-53 Yas’ur helicopters that have been in service since the 1960s.
Defense Minister Israel Katz described the agreement as “a major milestone” for the Israeli Air Force.
The CH-53K, or King Stallion, is a 99-foot heavy-lift helicopter capable of carrying up to 30 passengers or roughly 35,000 pounds of payload. Powered by three GE T408 engines producing 7,500 horsepower each, it has a range of 460 nautical miles, an operational ceiling of 16,000 feet, and a top speed of 170 knots.
