Overview
The Sikorsky H-53 was designed as a heavy assault transport helicopter that entered service with the US Navy as the CH-53A, the USAF as the CH-53B/C, and the USMC as the CH-53D. The US Navy adopted their Sea Stallion to serve as a mine sweeper, towing a hydrofoil sled through the water to search for and clear mines left to disrupt maritime traffic. This first version was the RH-53D.
Sikorsky must have taken note of actor Tim Allen's approach to engineering - "more power" when it came time to improve the H-53. They took their twin-engine workhorse and crammed a third engine behind the rotor mast. To translate that additional power to lift, Sikorsky altered the main rotor head from a six-bladed arrangement to seven blades. Another innovation was the tilting of the vertical stabilizer to port to optimize the tail rotor authority against the increased torque from the higher-power engine/main rotor combination.
This new machine became the CH-53E Super Sea Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon. The MH-53E entered service with the US Navy in 1986 and differed from the CH-53E with larger external sponsons to increase its range/endurance while still retaining its air refueling boom. In addition, main cabin can be equipped with up to seven 300 gallon fuel tanks for further range/endurance. The aircraft was designed specifically to tow a special mine-sweeping sled which can safely clear sea lanes of mines. When the aircraft is not involved in the mine-sweeping mission, the aircraft's greater range makes it a useful troop and supply transport to reach areas outside the unrefueled reach of the Marines' CH-53E.