The present C/MH-53E has a significant amount of growth built in in reserve. The present aircraft spec called for a 32,000 pound external load (self retrieval mission) over a 50 NM range that it handily demonstrated with reserves in the 1980s. It also far exceeded the 9500 lb 110 Nm mission in 1994 when a production MH-53E transported a more than 8000 lbs of payload 750NM none stop without refueling, at an average speed of 130 kts. I believe that hot and high performance improvements as well as significant improvements in R & M are goals of the new design. Most of the performance improvement will come with a grown in installed engine power and structural beef ups. These improvements will make the beast a real beast
