On Monday, January 20, the United States Marine Corps made history by transporting President Joe Biden in a new presidential helicopter, the VH-92A Patriot, for the first time in decades.
The flight carried Biden from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Soldier Field, where he attended the Democratic National Convention.
+ Lewis Hamilton starts a new chapter at Ferrari in style next to the iconic F40 in Maranello
+ Click here to watch the video
This was the operational debut of the VH-92A, a next-generation platform designed to use the “Marine One” call sign during presidential missions. This helicopter is the first model to take on this role since the VH-60 White Hawk, introduced in 1989, and the iconic VH-3 Sea King, which served for over 60 years.
A Project Decades in the Making
The development of the new presidential helicopter was a process marked by technical and budgetary challenges. The Pentagon began efforts to replace the VH-3D as early as 2002, with the launch of the VXX program. After a previous attempt involving the VH-71 Kestrel was canceled, Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, took over the project in 2014 with an initial $5 billion contract to build six VH-92A helicopters.
Sikorsky delivered the last of the 23 planned helicopters earlier this month. The new aircraft is based on the commercial S-92 model but has been significantly modified to meet presidential security demands, including ballistic armor, missile defense systems, electromagnetic pulse protection, and encrypted telecommunications equipment.
Operational Challenges
Despite technological advancements, the development of the VH-92A faced issues that delayed its approval for presidential transport. Among the challenges were problems with the encrypted communication system and concerns about engine-generated heat, which damaged landing surfaces, including the White House South Lawn, during testing.
According to a 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, damage to the lawn occurred due to prolonged heat exposure during a training event, something considered atypical for normal operations.
The Future of the VH-92A
Although the VH-92A has officially flown President Biden, no date has been set for its debut as “Marine One” at the White House. The helicopter’s regular use for presidential missions will depend on approval by the White House Military Office, which will decide on the full transition to the new platform.
This evolution marks a new chapter in the history of U.S. presidential helicopters, ensuring enhanced security and cutting-edge technology for the president’s operations on the ground and in the air.
Source: news.usni.org. Video: Instagram @speedbirdhd. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
