The final VH-92AA has been delivered, just in time for ‘Marine One’ operations to finally begin
August 20, 2024
The US Marine Corps (USMC) formally accepted the 23rd and final Sikorsky VH-92A Patriot presidential helicopter in a ceremony at Sikorsky’s Owego, NY, facility on August 14.
Lieutenant General Bradford Gering, USMC Deputy Commandant for Aviation said that: “This delivery represents a significant milestone and new chapter in the rich, 67-year history of Marines providing helicopter transport of the president of the United States. The VH-92A Patriot brings increased capabilities for this no-fail mission supporting the Commander-in-Chief around the world. Sikorsky’s contribution to Marine Aviation has enabled your United States Marine Corps to be a ready and lethal fighting force.”
The VH-92A will replace older VH-3D and VH-60N helicopters, and promises to provide better performance and a greater payload, while offering improved crew co-ordination and communications systems.
Sikorsky brings unmatched experience and a proven track record to the ‘Marine One’ mission having supplied the helicopters that have flown every president since 1957. The VH-92A carries the same iconic dark green and ‘white top’ livery as previous Marine One helicopters.
An earlier attempt to replace the VH-3 and VH-60 Presidential helicopters ran into difficulties. The Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel (a US-built derivative of the AgustaWestland AW101) was selected as the winner of the VXX Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program in January 2005, but was cancelled after delays, cost overruns, and engineering issues – most of them resulting from demands for unanticipated and extensive modifications that had been absent from the original request for proposals (RFP). The U.S. Navy terminated the contract In June 2009, after spending some US $4.4 billion and after taking delivery of nine VH-71s.
The nine helicopters were sold to Canada for spares for the CH-149 fleet – they were too good to merely scrap, and seven aircraft eventually became operational CH-149s.
Most of the additional requirements that scuppered the VH-71 were dropped to allow the smaller, lower payload, lower performance VH-92A to be selected for a relaunched VXX competition in May 2014. The new VH-92As were based on the commercial, FAA certified Sikorsky S-92 which is claimed to be best-in-class for safety and reliability. This promises to ensure long-term affordability. The US DoD ordered 23 VH-92A helicopters, two of them for testing, and the rest for operations, training and necessary maintenance.
The first VH-92A made its maiden flight On 28 July 2017, at Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut facility, but the aircraft ran into problems which hampered its introduction to service. The VH-92 achieved its formal Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone on 28 December 2021 but was unable to transport the president or vice president thanks to problems with its encrypted communications systems, fuel leaks and a well publicised tendency to scorch the South Lawn of the White House during tests.
The Pentagon judged that the aircraft was “failing to meet the reliability, availability or maintainability threshold requirements.” The Marines used the VH-92 helicopters for test flights around Washington, DC and to carry junior White House staff and security personnel.
The VH-92 finally made its inaugural ‘Marine One’ flight on the afternoon of 19 August 2024, transporting President Joe Biden from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (where he had arrived on ‘Air Force One’) to the parking lot of Soldier Field en route to the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Somewhat cheekily, Sikorsky have boasted of “the success of the VH-92A helicopter program to design, build and deliver the program of record under budget and within the planned delivery schedule.”
