The VH-92A^® Patriot™ transports the president and vice president of the United States, heads of state and other official parties. 

Program Status

The VH-92A executes the presidential world-wide vertical-lift mission using an FAA-certified S-92 aircraft with an enhanced mission communications system and an executive interior. 

In 2014, the Department of the Navy selected Sikorsky to develop the VH-92A (formerly VXX) to replace the aging VH-3D and VH-60N helicopters. The program completed Milestone (MS) C on 30 May 2019 and received the Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) on 8 June 2019 authorizing entry into production and deployment. The program awarded Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot I for six VH-92A aircraft, spares, and support equipment in June 2019, LRIP Lot II for six aircraft in February 2020, and the final lot, LRIP Lot III, for five aircraft in February 2021. Government testing to validate system performance and execute Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) completed in April 2021. The United States Marine Corps declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the VH-92A on 28 December 2021 followed by the White House Military Office (WHMO) commissioning program. Total VH-92A program of record is 23 aircraft (21 operational aircraft and two test aircraft).

The Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program successfully executes its acquisition strategy of integrating government defined mission systems into a commercial helicopter, while maintaining FAA airworthiness certification and adding no new critical technologies.  The program office went from developmental contract award to the delivery of the first operational helicopter to Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) in just six years (May 2014 – May 2020) all while meeting Key Performance Parameter (KPP) requirements and remaining under budget.

The U.S. Marine Corps currently operates 10 VH-3D and six VH-60N, and 9 VH-92A helicopters. All models are military certified aircraft modified to perform the mission.

The VH-3Ds were placed in service in 1974 and the VH-60s entered service in the 1980s. Both legacy aircraft have exceeded their original twenty-year service life expectations due to a comprehensive three-year overhaul cycle.