Albany Engineered Composites wins ten-year contract for CH-53K helicopter assemblies

Albany Engineered Composites (AEC, Rochester, N.H., U.S.), subsidiary of Albany International Corp., has been selected by Lockheed Martin (Bethesda, Md., U.S.) subsidiary, Sikorsky Aircraft (Stratford, Conn., U.S.), to produce the complete aft transition assembly for the CH-53K heavy-lift cargo helicopter in a competitively bid ten-year long term agreement covering Lots 7 through 14. According to Lockheed, the choppers will be replacing the Israeli Air Force fleet of CH-53D Yasur helicopters.

Long-lead funding is already underway to support the schedule and the contract is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2022, with first deliveries in 2023.

“We are excited and honored to be adding this additional content to our current production of sponsons and tail rotor pylon assemblies for the world’s next-generation heavy-lift helicopter,” says Greg Harwell, AEC president. “This agreement signifies the successful and growing relationship between Sikorsky and Albany.”

AEC designs and manufactures advanced engineered composite components for engine and airframe applications for commercial and military aircraft, missiles and unmanned vehicles, and for renewable energy creation and distribution. AEC says its specialty composite solutions enable current and next-generation aircraft to perform better while being more fuel-efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.