# MH-53s retiring from USAF service



## evangilder (Apr 16, 2008)

> Helicopter Retires After Service
> April 10, 2008
> Air Force Print News|by TSgt Kristina Newton
> 
> ...


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## marshall (Apr 16, 2008)

What will be the replacement?

Edit:
Maybe I did't understand correctly, is it one chopper retiring or whole fleet of MH-53s?


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## ToughOmbre (Apr 16, 2008)

357 had a heck of a career! 

Here's to the men who flew her 

TO


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## wilbur1 (Apr 16, 2008)

Retired with honor


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## SoD Stitch (Apr 16, 2008)

marshall said:


> What will be the replacement?
> 
> Edit:
> Maybe I did't understand correctly, is it one chopper retiring or whole fleet of MH-53s?



I have the same question; I can't believe they would retire the entire fleet of Pave Low's, they are still extremely capable platforms. I'm guessing #357 is just the oldest MH-53 airframe out there. However, I believe I heard that the Pave Low's successor will be fulfilled by a mission-specific version of the UH-60 Blackhawk, the MH-60S Pave Hawk.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 16, 2008)

Sad to see her go.


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## lesofprimus (Apr 16, 2008)

Some hairy moments I remember fondly sitting in the back ass of that bird....

Enjoy ur retirement Bitch...


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## Matt308 (Apr 16, 2008)

What? Marines and Air Force are likely buying H/MH-53K?? Did I miss something?


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## evangilder (Apr 16, 2008)

The last sentence says the word...
_the MH-53 Pave Low's long and distinguished career will soon complete its service to the Air Force. The remaining MH-53s in the Air Force inventory will be retired as they return from combat duty._

And I remember some fun (read interesting, in a military way) times in those big-azz birds, but I always felt safe in them because of their size.


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## helo357 (Jul 12, 2008)

I happened on this site when I was searching for pictures of 357 at the AF museum.

1. The USAF starting drawing down the MH-53 fleet in mid '07 when the MH-53J's at Kirtland AFB were retired to the boneyard. One of their aircraft, 66-14433, went on display in their air park.
2. The drawdown continued when the MH-53M's at RAF Mildenhall UK were retired to the boneyard in late '07.
3. The 2 MH-53J's stationed at Hurlburt were sent to the boneyard at the end of last year.
4. Aircraft 68-10928 was retired to the Hurlburt Field Air Park at the end of last year.
5. This aircraft, 68-10357 "Magnum", retired to the USAF museum in Apr '08. It was my privelege to work these aircraft for over 20 years as an AF maintainer and be the primary crew chief of 357 from '85-'87 at McLellan AFB, CA.
6. The remaining MH-53M's are all at Hurlburt Field, FL and are scheduled for retirement in Sep '08. Some will go to the boneyard and some will go to various museums and air parks...including Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Robins AFB Museum in Warner Robins, GA, the AF Academy in Colorado, Hill AFB, UT, possibly Kadena AB, Okinawa, and a couple of others.
7. The MH-53M aircraft is still airworthy but increasing structural problems due to the aircraft age and a diminishing pool of vendors to repair many of the avionics components makes it expensive to fly and maintain. I think they could keep a small fleet of 53s which would reduce the cost, but US SOCOM who pays the bills for the MH-53 wants the AF out of the helicopter business.
8. The Pave Low "successor" (I have to laugh when I say that) will be the CV-22 Osprey even though it is MUCH smaller.
9. The Marines are purchasing MH-53K's to replace their CH-53E fleet but the AF is not currently doing anything to replace their rotary wing heavy lift capability.


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