Program Delays Pushed Back Delivery Of Sikorsky VH-92A

President Joe Biden finally got to take his first flight aboard the new Marine One, a Sikorsky-built VH-92A helicopter, also known as “White Top” for its distinctive livery.

Biden boarded the helicopter for the maiden presidential flight at O’Hare International Airport (KORD) in Chicago, Illinois, and was flown to the parking lot at Soldier Field, an oft-used landing zone for presidential travel in the Windy City. The President then spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Monday August 19.

The program to upgrade and modernize the presidential helicopter fleet was not without its problems after being initially authorized during the Bush administration in the early 2005 when Lockheed Martin won the contract over Sikorsky. After cost overruns ballooned and became too great, the program was canceled by the Obama administration and the contract competition was restarted. Sikorsky eventually recaptured the contract to build the new helicopter called “Patriot.” The new version had its first flight during the Trump administration in 2018, yet there were remaining issues with communications and other elements until they were finally resolved in 2023.

Helicopters built by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, have flown every U.S. president since 1957. It is a modified version of the company’s commercial S-92 helicopter.

FMI:  news.lockheedmartin.com/