Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot

The Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin VH-92 Patriot is an American helicopter operated in the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. presidential transport fleet. It is a militarized variant of the Sikorsky S-92 and is larger than the former Marine One helicopters.

Design and development

Sikorsky entered the VH-92 variant of the S-92 into the VXX competition for U.S. presidential helicopter Marine One (replacing the Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N White Hawk), but lost to the Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel. However, the competition was restarted in 2010 due to ballooning VH-71 development costs, allowing Sikorsky to resubmit the VH-92 in April 2010. By mid-2013, all other aircraft manufacturers had dropped out of the contest, leaving only Sikorsky.

On 7 May 2014, it was announced that the VH-92 had won the restarted VXX competition. In May 2014, Sikorsky was awarded a US$1.24 billion contract to produce the VH-92, which is outfitted with an executive interior and military mission support systems, including triple electrical power and redundant flight controls. Six of the variant, designated VH-92A, were ordered by the U.S. Navy for delivery in 2017. Production of a further 17 aircraft was planned to begin in 2020. The total FY2015 program cost is $4.718 billion for 23 helicopters, at an average cost of $205M per aircraft. In July 2016, the design passed its Critical Design Review, clearing it for production.

Operational history

On 28 July 2017, the first VH-92A performed its maiden flight at Sikorsky's Stratford, Connecticut facility. On 22 September 2018, a VH-92 was flown to the White House for take-off and landing tests at spots used for Marine One.

In late November 2021, Pentagon officials noted the aircraft was "failing to meet the reliability, availability or maintainability threshold requirements" and that it had damaged landing zones with its exhaust and fuel leaks during test flights. The VH-92 had not yet entered service carrying VIPs.

On 28 December 2021, the VH-92 achieved its Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone. However, the aircraft, named "Patriot" in 2022, was still unable to transport the president or vice president due to issues with its encrypted communications systems and its tendency to scorch the South Lawn of the White House.

A VH-92 made its inaugural flight as Marine One on the afternoon of 19 August 2024, when President Joe Biden rode from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Soldier Field en route to the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Variants

VH-92A Patriot: 23 (21 operational, 2 test/training)

Operators

United States

United States Marine Corps (23)

Specifications (S-92)

Data from Sikorsky S-92 specifications, International Directory of Civil Aircraft and the U.S. Navy.

General characteristics

Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, communication systems operator, crew chief)
Capacity: 14 passengers
Length: 56 ft 2 in (17.12 m)
Width: 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m)
Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Cabin dimensions: 20 ft (6 m) long by 6 ft 8 in (2 m) tall
Empty weight: 15,500 lb (7,031 kg)
Gross weight: 26,500 lb (12,020 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 27,700 lb (12,565 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric CT7-8A turboshaft engine, 2,520 shp (1,880 kW) each equivalent
Main rotor diameter: 56 ft 4 in (17.17 m)
Main rotor area: 2,492.3 sq ft (231.54 m²)
Blade section: - root: Sikorsky SC2110; tip: Sikorsky SSC-A09