U.S. Army Corps funds CH-53K Helicopter Facilities in Israel
The United States Army Corps of Engineers has awarded Exyte US, based in Albany, New York, a $96,2 million contract to support infrastructure construction and aircraft bed-down for Israel’s incoming CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, according to an official contract announcement.
The work will be performed in Israel with an estimated completion date of March 23, 2029.
The project supports Israel’s ongoing integration of the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter acquired through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, under which the United States military acts as the contracting authority for equipment and services delivered to partner nations. The construction effort is required to prepare facilities capable of operating and maintaining the new aircraft as Israel transitions away from older helicopter platforms.
According to the contract notice, Fiscal Year 2026 Foreign Military Sales funds for Israel totaling $96,248,142 were obligated at the time of award. Four bids were solicited via the internet, with four received. The United States Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, serves as the contracting activity under contract number W912ER-26-C-A013.
The infrastructure project forms part of Israel’s broader CH-53K acquisition program. The U.S. State Department approved a potential sale of up to 18 CH-53K helicopters to Israel in 2021. Israel later finalized a deal in 2022 for an initial batch of 12 aircraft valued at approximately $2 billion.
As noted previously by Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the helicopter, “we are confident that the CH-53K helicopter, designed and built by Lockheed Martin, is the most capable, efficient, and reliable solution to meet the needs of the Israel Air Force.” The aircraft will replace Israel’s aging fleet of CH-53 Yasur helicopters, which have been in service since 1969.
Israel has operated variants of the CH-53 for decades and was among the earliest international operators of the platform, sending a delegation to the United States in 1968 shortly after the first flight of the original CH-53A helicopter. The transition to the CH-53K represents the next phase in maintaining heavy-lift helicopter capability within the Israeli Air Force.
The CH-53K King Stallion is the largest helicopter currently developed for the U.S. military and represents a deep modernization of the earlier CH-53E platform. Development of the aircraft began in 2006 as part of an effort to improve payload capacity, survivability, and digital flight control systems compared with earlier models.
The helicopter conducted its first flight in October 2015, and by 2018 the United States Marine Corps had begun preliminary flight testing activities. Designed for heavy transport missions, the aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 39.9 tons and can carry external loads weighing up to 12.2 tons using an underslung cargo system.
In operational terms, heavy-lift helicopters such as the CH-53K enable rapid movement of tactical vehicles, artillery, engineering equipment, and logistics supplies across difficult terrain without reliance on prepared runways. Infrastructure preparation is therefore a necessary step before fielding the aircraft, as maintenance hangars, support equipment areas, and specialized servicing facilities must accommodate the helicopter’s size and technical requirements.
Foreign Military Sales programs typically place the U.S. military in the role of contracting agent, managing procurement, construction, and integration activities on behalf of allied governments. This structure allows partner nations to access U.S. acquisition systems while ensuring compatibility with American operational standards and sustainment practices.