Scott gave the outlook during Lockheed Martin’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call, describing the CH-53K as part of a broader increase in deliveries across Sikorsky’s portfolio. All four Sikorsky platforms are expected to deliver more aircraft this year than in 2025, he said.
“In the case of 53K, we could be talking 2x deliveries this year versus last year, and potentially doubling again next year,” Scott said.
The projection makes the CH-53K one of the clearest examples of the production acceleration now running through Lockheed Martin’s portfolio. Scott did not disclose absolute delivery volumes for 2026 or 2027, and he framed the potential increase next year as a possibility rather than a firm production commitment.
The Sikorsky ramp is expected to help lift performance at Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems business in the second half of 2026. Management said continued production increases at Sikorsky, alongside higher radar volumes, should push the segment to mid-single-digit year-over-year sales growth after a comparatively flat first half.
Lockheed Martin raised its full-year sales outlook for Rotary and Mission Systems to between $17.7 billion and $18.1 billion, while lifting its profit forecast to $1.86 billion-$1.89 billion. The higher outlook reflects management’s expectation that production and delivery volumes will strengthen as the year progresses.
Scott placed the CH-53K increase within a much broader push to expand output across the company. He said F-16 and C-130 deliveries are also rising this year, while 10 munitions programs within Missiles and Fire Control are delivering more than they did in 2025.
“We are in a scaling mode right now,” Scott said. He said the question for Lockheed Martin is not only whether it can increase production, but whether it can do so while maintaining the resilience needed to manage technical and operational challenges.
That production push is feeding directly into Lockheed Martin’s financial outlook. The company now expects 2026 sales of $79.75 billion to $81.75 billion, an increase of about 8% at the midpoint from the prior year, with every business segment expected to grow faster in the second half.
Scott said second-half sales growth could reach between 7% and 12% from the same period in 2025, describing the acceleration as broad-based across the company. Missiles and Fire Control is expected to lead the expansion, but higher Sikorsky production is also becoming an increasingly visible contributor.
For the CH-53K, the scale of the potential increase stands out. If deliveries approximately double in 2026 from the 2025 level and then rise by a similar magnitude in 2027, annual deliveries could reach roughly four times the 2025 level, although management did not provide a specific unit target or detailed delivery schedule.
Scott’s comments nevertheless show Lockheed Martin expecting the CH-53K ramp to extend beyond the current year rather than peak with the 2026 increase. The helicopter is emerging as a significant part of Sikorsky’s contribution to the company’s wider effort to convert strong defense demand into sustained production growth.
