Troubled Program Gains Momentum Towards 2010 EIS
The first production VH-71 presidential replacement helicopter
has arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River by US Air Force
C-17 cargo plane from helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland.
The helicopter, called pilot production one (PP-1), will undergo
two months of ground vibration testing before flying to prime
contractor Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY, for
installation of the mission systems, communications suite, and
presidential interior and exterior livery.
"This is a watershed event in the execution of this program,"
said Jeff Bantle, Lockheed Martin VH-71 vice president and general
manager. "It's the fifth VH-71 helicopter to join the program, and
a significant milestone because it's the first of five pilot
production aircraft to begin testing. These pilot production
aircraft will be delivered to the HMX-1 squadron after completion
of a comprehensive test program.
"The first production presidential helicopter demonstrates the
success of a proven platform transformed into the most capable and
safe helicopter for the presidential mission," said Stephen C.
Moss, chief executive officer of AgustaWestland North America.
"PP-1's performance was superb during the initial test and
evaluation with 11.3 hours of ground runs and 6.6 flight hours, and
we look forward to the VH-71 entering service."
Four test aircraft are now part of the VH-71 presidential
helicopter program's first phase, or Increment One. Two of these
test helicopters are in flight testing with an integrated test
team, made up of Navy, Marine Corps and industry pilots, while the
other two are being integrated with mission systems. Four more
pilot production helicopters are expected to arrive over the next
six months.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego is the prime
contractor and systems integrator for the VH-71 program with
overall responsibility for the program and aircraft system.
AgustaWestland, the principal subcontractor, has responsibility for
the basic air vehicle design, production build, and basic air
vehicle support functions.
Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland have partnered for more than
17 years with a worldwide record of excellence dating back to the
Royal Navy's EH101 Merlin Mk1 program... but such "excellence" has
arguably been lacking from the VH-71, as the program has run
significantly over-budget, and first deliveries have been delayed
several times.
As ANN reported, the program was rumored to be
near outright cancellation earlier this year.
The first VH-71 slated to be delivered to the Marines in 2010 --
the helicopter that just joined the flight test program -- will be
a year late, and lacking several capabilities originally planned
for production-grade VH-71s.
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