CH-53K King Stallion Achieves 27,000 Pound External Lift

via Press Release.

"Lifting 27,000 pounds in OGE conditions is another key milestone for the program, which further confirms our confidence in the design and performance of the aircraft," said Col. Hank Vanderborght, U.S. Marine Corps Program Manager for the Naval Air Systems Command's Heavy Lift Helicopters Program. "This is the most strenuous condition we had to demonstrate from a performance standpoint prior to achieving Milestone 'C' and entering production."
The King Stallion will carry a 27,000 pound external load over 110 nautical miles at 91.5°F at an altitude of 3,000 feet – a Navy operational requirement for "high hot" conditions. The CH-53K helicopter will provide unmatched heavy lift capability with reduced logistics footprint and reduced support costs over its entire life cycle.