The CH-53 is a heavy transport helicopter that has been in continuous U.S. service since 1966. Multiple variants exist, powered by two or three turboshaft engines. The H-53 family includes cargo, anti-mine warfare and combat search and rescue (CSAR) variants. As of the time of this writing, there are more than 260 H-53s in service in the U.S., Israel, Iran and Germany. Mexico and Japan are historical operators of the type.