Practice Hasn’t Yet Made Perfect for the Next Presidential Helicopter

The big Sikorsky news this week was its FLRAA protest but as the company lodged the challenge, it’s VH-92 replacement for the venerable VH-3D which flies the President as “Marine One” was seen the skies over Washington DC, still practicing for its long-anticipated turn as the next presidential helicopter.

The aircraft was supposed be in service in 2020 after having debuted over the White House south lawn in 2018. The Marine Corps, which will operate the 23 VH-92s the Pentagon is acquiring by 2023, declared Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the aircraft almost exactly one year ago. But the new presidential helicopter has yet to fly the President.

Why you may ask? The VH-92 Patriot is based on Sikorsky’s well-proven commercial S-92 helicopter. But it’s a dedicated design, purpose-built to carry U.S. presidents and described as the most sophisticated helicopter in the world. With sophistication often comes problems and the Patriot has had a number during development.

A high-profile niggle was given away by the sight of dead grass left over as exhaust from the helicopter’s pair of General Electric CT7-8A engines scorched the White House lawn on repeated test flights. Subsequent modifications to the exhausts fixed the problem along with some seed and fertilizer from the White House gardener.

The most important issue and the one holding back the Sikorsky from stepping into the VH-3D’s shoes lies with the VH-92’s Mission Communication System (MCS). The MCS provides secure, encrypted communication at very high data rates without interruption anywhere in the world. It enables the President, Vice President or other senior officials to stay in contact with the government’s command structure (including the National Command Authority that directs U.S. nuclear deterrents) while airborne and on the move.

Last spring, an article in The War Zone described MCS as “a wideband line-of-sight communication link made up of two separate systems: Hydra Light and Crisis Management. The Hydra Light system consists of a radio, antenna, and amplifier that allow voice over IP (VoIP) calls to be made using the Phoenix Air-to-Ground Communications Network (PAGCN) structure, according to Navy budget documents. The Crisis Management system is the router, call manager, and High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) required to connect to the Defense Information Systems Agency’s secure network.”

Capable though the MCS may be, it has unspecified deficiencies that bar it (and thus VH-92) from executing the presidential airlift mission. In 2021, the GAO reported that “the Navy completed an operational assessment in April 2019 and identified MCS-related performance shortfalls, some of which led to inconsistent and unreliable communications”.

The Navy’s fiscal 2023 budget request (USMCUSMC
funding falls within the Navy’s overall budget) asked for $16 million to incorporate MCS versions 4.0 and 5.0, tooling and validation actions. It’s unclear if this funding made it through the NDAA process and a query to Naval Air Systems Command had yet to be answered as this article was written.

In its budget request, the Navy affirmed that if increased funding is not made available, VH-92 Full Operation Capability will be delayed. That would prevent the White House Military Office (WHMO) from permitting its use to transport the President or other senior officials.

In the meantime, the VH-92s already delivered are flying other missions with the Marines’ Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), shuttling lower-level officials between downtown DC and nearby Joint Base Andrews where the fleet of jet transports that support the president and congress includes the 747-based VC-25 that serves as Air Force One when the Chief Executive is aboard.

HMX-1 aircrews have thus had ample opportunity to develop a rapport and techniques, tactics and procedures with the new helicopter. But it’s a jarringly second-string role for an aircraft with a price tag reportedly in the region of $205 million per copy. For reference, that would buy two F-35As with some spare change left over – current Lot 14 F-35As are priced at $78 million per tail.

At some, as yet undefined point, the VH-92 will fly a president. A spokesperson for the Navy’s VH-92 program office (PMA-274) could only share its position that, “VH-92A tasking for presidential support will be at the discretion of the White House Military Office. The VH-92A remains within budgeted cost and schedule as approved by Congress.”

Until then HMX-1 Patriot crews will practice. Will that make them perfect? As basketball legend, Michael Jordan has pointed out, “You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way.”