The Naval Air Depot Cherry Point will deliver the first of several retired CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters being returned to service with the U.S. Marine Corps to MCAS New River on June 29 at 11 a.m.

The aircraft, which spent 11 years in storage in the Arizona desert at Davis-Monthan AFB are returning to service due to shortages caused by the global war on terrorism.
The H-53s came to the depot last August from the Arizona Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, home of the nation’s aircraft war reserve, which stores more than 5,000 excess Defense Department and Coast Guard aircraft for the nation’s war needs.
Its completion marks the first time an H-53 retired from the active inventory will return to service.

Media interested in covering the arrival of the aircraft should contact the MCAS New River Public Affairs Office at (910) 449-5435 or (910) 376-2153. Media will depart the MCAS New River Main Gate at 10:30 a.m. Additional details may be obtained by calling the NAVAIR Depot Public Affairs Office (252) 464-7018.

-30-