VH-92A - Boeing
The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded a $542 million firm-fixed price contract for the first low-rate initial production lot of SikorskyVH-92A presidential helicopter aircraft, spares and support equipment.
The government will continue testing to validate system performance and prepare for initial operational test and evaluation in mid-2020 followed by initial operational capability. The program of record is for 23 aircraft.
“The team has efficiently leveraged a proven platform with cutting-edge government mission systems for rapid, agile development of the next helicopters to fly presidential missions,” U.S. Navy acquisition executive Hondo Geurts said in a statement. “Optimizing commercial practices, the VH-92A will provide safe, reliable and timely transportation with mission-critical communications that will support the security of our nation.”
The VH-92A will provide enhanced crew coordination systems and communications capabilities compared to the current presidential helicopters, the VH-3D and VH-60N.
“I am proud of the combined government and contractor team who has worked so hard to transition this program into initial production and did so at over $1 billion less than the program’s cost baseline,” Geurts said.
Under the terms of the contract, Sikorsky will begin deliveries of six VH-92As in 2021.
“Sikorsky has been building and providing helicopter transportation for every U.S. president and commander in chief since Dwight D. Eisenhower. We are excited to build the next generation of transport with the VH-92A helicopter,” Dave Banquer, Sikorsky VH-92A program director, said in a statement.
The first VH-92A training device was delivered and installed at the Presidential Helicopter Squadron 1 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, earlier this year.