CH-46E Sea Knight

CH-46E Sea Knight (Cargo helicopter)

Manufacturer: Vertol Aircraft Corp., Boeing Vertol

First flight: August 1962

Introduction: 1964

Retired: 2004 (U.S. Navy), 2014 (USMC)

Produced: 1962-1971

Number built: 524

Unit cost: $6 million (1987)

Crew: 5 (2 pilots, crew chief, aerial gunner/observer, tail gunner)

Capacity:

24 troops; or

15 stretchers and 2 attendants; or

2270 kg

Length: 13.66 m in fuselage

Fuselage width: 2.2 m

Rotor diameter: 15.24 m

Height: 5.09 m

Disc area: 364.8 m²

Empty weight: 5,255 kg

Loaded weight: 7,891 kg

Max. takeoff weight: 11,000 kg

Powerplant: 2× General Electric T58-GE-16 turboshafts, 1,870 shp (1,400 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 267 km/h

Range: 1,020 km

Ferry range: 1,110 km

Service ceiling: 5,180 m

Rate of climb: 8.71 m/s

Disc loading: 21.6 kg/m²

Power/mass: 354 W/kg

Armament

Guns: 2 door-mounted GAU-15/A Browning .50 BMG (12.7 x 99 mm) machine guns (optional), one ramp-mounted M240D 7.62 x 51 mm machine gun (optional)

On 5 October 2014, the CH-46 Sea Knight performed its final service flight with the U.S. Marine Corps at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The aircraft's first flight was performed over 50 years earlier and it entered service in 1966.