Rheinmetall to maintain Germany’s CH-53G transport helicopters

German Bundeswehr has placed an order with Rheinmetall for the maintenance of Sikorsky CH-53G transport helicopters.

The company will take over the operation of two maintenance and repair bays of the German Air Force’s 64th Helicopter Squadron at Diepholz from March.

The contract is valued at around two-digit million euros and valid for five years. It can be extended for an additional year.

The 64th Helicopter Squadron in Diepholz oversees the larger maintenance operations in a separate remote squadron.

A total of five maintenance and repair bays owned by Bundeswehr are assigned for the CH-53G helicopter, which has been in operations with the service since 1972.

The company’s subsidiary Rheinmetall Aviation Services (RAS) will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of Bundeswehr helicopters in Diepholz.

Its sister company, Rheinmetall Technical Publications, will provide organisational and aeronautical regulatory support.

In January, Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky and Rheinmetall submitted a bid to the German Air Force to produce and operate the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift transport helicopter for its Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) programme.

An STH project team of more than ten German companies formed by Sikorsky and Rheinmetall includes MTU Aero Engines, Autoflug GmbH and Hydro Systems.

In October last year, Sikorsky and Rheinmetall jointly announced that they are planning to establish a logistics and fleet management centre at Leipzig / Halle Airport.