USMC logs maiden fleet flight for CH-53K helo 20 January 2021 by Gareth Jennings The US Marine Corps (USMC) flew the first fleet flight of the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter on 15 January. Announced by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on the same day, the milestone saw Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) fly the first non-developmental sortie from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in North Carolina. The first fleet flight of a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion was announced on 19 January. (NAVAIR) “The aircraft now enters a new phase of testing to train marines as they prepare for [initial] operational test and evaluation later this year,” NAVAIR said.