After years of delays, the new presidential helicopter flew with the callsign Marine One. On August 19, 2024, President Joe Biden landed aboard Air Force One at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. There, he transferred to a VH-92A Patriot helicopter that assumed the Marine One designation for the first time as it flew the President to the parking lot of Soldier Field. The stadium served as a transfer point for the President to join his motorcade and proceed to the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. This historic flight of the new Marine One was mirrored by Sikorsky’s announcement of the 23rd and final delivery of the helicopter to the Marine Corps.
Based on the commercial Sikorsky S-92 Superhawk medium-lift helicopter, the VH-92A Patriot is the long-awaited replacement for the aging Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N Night Hawk which have both flown the President with HMX-1, the Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for presidential transportation. The VH-3 and VH-60 entered service with HMX-1 in 1963 and 1987, respectively. Although both platforms have undergone upgrades during their presidential service, the VH-92 represents a significant upgrade to Marine One.
First flown in 1998, the S-92 was developed from the successful S-70 helicopter which serves the U.S. military as the UH-60 Black Hawk, SH-60 Seahawk, HH-60 Pave Hawk, MH-60 Jayhawk, and the aforementioned VH-60. A longer fuselage allows for increased interior space and more powerful twin GE CT7-8A turboshaft engines give the VH-92 over 5,000 combined shaft horsepower. An active vibration control system lowers noise levels inside the aircraft and increases flight comfort while safety features like bird strike capability and engine burst containment led the FAA certification board to call the S-92 the safest helicopter in the world. Perhaps the most obvious improvement from the S-70 to the S-92 to the untrained eye is the retractable landing gear of the Superhawk.
The Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, designated VXX, began following the 9/11 terror attacks; a need to upgrade the capability and security of the President’s helicopter was agreed upon by both the military and government officials. In 2002, the White House asked the DOD to accelerate development of the new aircraft and the VH-71 Kestrel, submitted by Lockheed Martin and AugustaWestland, was awarded the $6.1 billion contract in 2005. However, by 2008, the cost of the Marine One replacement ballooned to $11.2 billion. In 2009, funding for the VH-71 was cut off and the VXX competition restarted the next year.
By 2013, only Sikorsky’s submission of the S-92 remained in contention for the VXX contract. In 2014, the VH-92 was selected as the winner and Sikorsky was awarded a $1.24 billion contract. On July 28, 2017, the VH-92A made its first flight at the Sikorsky facility in Stratford, Connecticut. The next year, on September 22, the new helicopter flew to the White House for its first take-off and landing tests on the South Lawn. Also in 2018, the S-92 entered operational military service with the Royal Canadian Air Force as the CH-148 Cyclone. However, the transporting of VIPs was delayed by issues like the VH-92’s exhaust and leaking fuel damaging landing zones, including the White House lawn.
In 2021, the VH-92A achieved Initial Operational Capability and was named “Patriot” the next year. However, VIP transportation was still delayed by issues with its encrypted communications system and continued scorching of the South Lawn. With the final delivery and first flight as Marine One, the VH-92A has reached full operational capacity in its executive transport mission. “The VH-92A Patriot brings increased capabilities for this no-fail mission supporting the Commander-in-Chief around the world,” said Marine Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, in a Lockheed Martin press release; Sikorsky was purchased by Lockheed Martin in 2015. “Sikorsky’s contribution to Marine Aviation has enabled your United States Marine Corps to be a ready and lethal fighting force.”