Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot

The Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin VH-92 Patriot[3] is an American helicopter under development to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. presidential transport fleet. It is a militarized variant of the Sikorsky S-92.

VH-92 Patriot
A developmental VH-92A helicopter conducts landing and take-off testing September 2018
Role Medium-lift transport/utility helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin
First flight 28 July 2017[1][2]
Status Under development
Primary user United States Marine Corps
Developed from Sikorsky S-92

Design and development
See also: VXX

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.[4][5] However, the competition was restarted in 2010 due to ballooning VH-71 development costs, allowing Sikorsky to resubmit the VH-92 in April 2010.[6] By mid-2013, all other aircraft manufacturers had dropped out of the contest, leaving only Sikorsky.[7]

On 7 May 2014, it was announced that the VH-92 had won the VXX competition to replace the aging VH-3 Sea Kings that transport the President of the United States.[8]

In May 2014, Sikorsky was awarded a US$1.24 billion contract to build a variant of the S-92 for transport of the U.S. president. Sikorsky will outfit this variant with an executive interior and military mission support systems, including triple electrical power and redundant flight controls. Six of the variant, designated VH-92A,[9] were ordered by the U.S. Navy for delivery in 2017.[10] Production of a further 17 aircraft is planned to begin in 2020.[11][12] The total FY2015 program cost is $4.718 billion for 23 helicopters, at an average cost of $205M per aircraft.[13] In July 2016, the design passed its Critical Design Review, which cleared it for production.[14]

Operational history
A developmental VH-92A helicopter conducts landing and take-off testing at the White House South Lawn in front of the Washington Monument in September 2018

On 28 July 2017, the first VH-92A performed its maiden flight at Sikorsky Aircraft's facilities in Stratford, Connecticut.[1][2]

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.[15]

In late November 2021, Pentagon officials noted the aircraft was “failing to meet the reliability, availability or maintainability threshold requirements.” The statement noted that during test flights, the aircraft damaged landing zones with its exhaust and fuel leaks. The helicopter had not yet entered service carrying VIPs.[16]

On 28 December 2021, the VH-92 achieved its Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone.[17] However, the aircraft, named "Patriot" in 2022, will not be able to carry the president or vice president due to ongoing issues with its encrypted communications systems.[3]

Variants
  • VH-92A Patriot: 21 planned[18]
  • CH-92A: 2 planned for training[18]

Operators
 United States

Specifications (S-92)

Data from Sikorsky S-92 specifications,[19] International Directory of Civil Aircraft[20] and the U.S. Navy.[21]

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[22]
  • 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[23]

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 165 kn (190 mph, 306 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 151 kn (174 mph, 280 km/h)
  • Range: 539 nmi (620 mi, 998 km)
  • Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
  • Disk loading: 9.8 lb/sq ft (48 kg/m2)
  • Power/mass: 0.23 shp/lb (0.38 kW/kg)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. "VH-92A Presidential Helicopter Achieves First Flight". Lockheed Martin. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  2. Werner, Ben (7 August 2017). "VH-92A Presidential Helo Flies For the First Time". USNI News. U.S. Naval Institute. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  3. Tegler, Eric (30 December 2022). "Practice Hasn't Yet Made Perfect for the Next Presidential Helicopter". Forbes.com. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  4. "DoD Special Briefing on Award of Presidential Helicopter Contract" Archived 1 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine. DoD, 28 January 2005.
  5. Trimble, Stephen. "US101 snatches presidential prize." Archived 26 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine Flight International, 1 February 2005.
  6. Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin Announce Teaming Agreement to Compete for the VXX Presidential Helicopter Program Archived 1 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Drew, Christopher. "Few Suitors to Build a New Marine One". The New York Times, 29 July 2013.
  8. Majumdar, Dave (7 May 2014). "Sikorsky Wins $1.24 Billion Contract for Presidential Helo". United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  9. "Contract Awarded Presidential Helicopter". navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  10. "Sikorsky wins US presidential helicopter contract". Flight
  11. David Pierce (7 May 2014). "This is the President's new $1.2 billion helicopter". TheVerge.com. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  12. Naval Air Systems Command (May 2014). "VXX Program". navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  13. "GAO-15-342SP DEFENSE ACQUISITIONS Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs" (PDF). US Government Accountability Office. March 2015. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  14. US Presidential Helo Moves to Production Phase, Christopher C. Cavas, DefenseNews.com, 25 July 2016
  15. Parsons, Dan (20 November 2018). "Check Out The New Presidential Helicopter Landing on the White House Lawn". Rotor & Wing International. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  16. Capaccio, Tony; Jacobs, Jennifer (23 November 2021). "President's new helicopter hits setback: It's unreliable in a crisis, says Pentagon report". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  17. Burgess, Richard R. (26 April 2022). "Marine Corps' New VH-92 Presidential Helicopter Achieves Initial Operational Capability". Seapower Magazine. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  18. "2019 Marine Corps Aviation Plan" (PDF). aviation.marines.mil. November 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  19. Sikorsky S-92 Helicopter (Attributes tab) Archived 15 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Sikorsky
  20. Frawley, Gerald. "Sikorsky S-92 Helibus". The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003/2004. Aerospace Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
  21. https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2809749/vh-92a/
  22. Archived 10 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Sikorsky S-92 Multimission Brochure, p.20, Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  23. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography
  • Leoni, Ray D. (2007). Black Hawk: The Story of a World Class Helicopter. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. ISBN 978-1-56347-918-2.
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