Photo By Cpl. Isabella Renaud | A U.S. Marine Corps heavy-lift Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter with Marine...... read more read more
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U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Christian Von Denes, 621st Contingency Response Group sling load team lead, worked with the Naval Air Station Patuxent River F-35 Integrated Test Force test team, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Cargo Lab, Marine Aircraft Group 31, and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533 to sling load an F-35B Lightning II airframe for the first time Aug. 27.
Von Denes was requested by name from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and F-35 Joint Program Office.
“This milestone operation highlights the growing collaboration across military branches and affirms the 621st Contingency Response Wing’s role in advancing rapid deployment capabilities for next-generation aircraft,” Von Denes said.
He and his team worked alongside a Marine Corps Helicopter Support Team to perform a sling load of a non-flyable jet to show proof of concept, simulating recovery and maneuver. They ensured a successful lift and flight conducting load certification testing, sling configuration analysis, and cargo characteristic documentation.
“The meticulous preparation from my team at home station ensured the effective skillset which enabled the successful 500-mile CH-53K helicopter transport of the jet—marking a major step forward in agile logistics and future aircraft mobility testing,” Von Denes said.
Two weeks prior, Von Denes and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Gibert Lopez, 621st CRG sling load team member, conducted a crane test lift verifying the sling, rig, pitch and bank attitudes of the jet, as well as control surface states. The aircraft was transferred via CH-53K heavy lift helicopter more than 500 miles from NAS Patuxent River to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., to be put on display.
“We treated it like it was our jet going along for the ride,” Von Denes said. “It took weeks, if not months, to prepare for this operation. Working with the Marine HST was great, and I look forward to continuing this relationship in the future. This wasn't just another job; it was a showcase of expertise, proving that attention to detail on the ground translates directly to groundbreaking achievements in the air. Additionally, it shows that we’re always ready to recover critical assets, wherever and whenever they are needed most.”
The F-35B, known as BF-1, was the first F-35B to perform a vertical landing. It was without its mission and propulsion systems, outer wings, additional equipment and will be used as a permanent static display at MCAS Beaufort.
This is the second time the CH-53K has been used to transport an F-35 that was destined for usage after required flight test activities.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2025 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 547215 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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