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H-92 Superhawk

The H-92 SUPERHAWK is the military variant of the S-92. It is based on the new technology of the S-92 that utilizes experience from more than five million flight hours logged by BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK fleets in the field. The mission roles of the H-92 SUPERHAWK include military utility, Head-of-State transport, anti-submarine warfare and combat search and rescue. The H-92 SUPERHAWK offers 21st century safety, survivability, outstanding lift capability and speed. In addition, ease of maintenance provides a helicopter that is available anytime, anywhere.

By 2007 the Sikorsky S-92 was in use by heads of state in South Korea, Kuwait, Turkey and Turkmenistan, and had been ordered for similar duty in Bahrain, Equatorial Guinea, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. The FAA had approved the helicopter for installation of protective countermeasures, and it could be adapted to the Marine One role.

VH-92 Marine One

The Department of Defense announced on January 28, 2005 that the team led by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, NY, had been selected to build the new presidential helicopter (VXX) based on its US101 Marine One medium lift helicopter. This $1.7 billion, cost plus award fee contract was expected to launch the VXX program’s system development and demonstration phase during which the program would integrate a “system of systems” with a modern, in-production aircraft to provide the president with safe and reliable helicopter transportation.

Members of the All-American VH-92 Team collaborated to respond to the U.S. Navy's Request for Proposal (RFP) for the VXX competition, the U.S. Government's official designation for the Presidential helicopter procurement.

The Presidential version of the aircraft, the VH-92, would have featured uprated engines and enhanced safety features, all brought together in an airframe to provide Presidential comfort and security. Like all S-92s, the VH-92 had key safety features that are certified to the world's most demanding rotorcraft safety standards: FAR Part 29, Amendment 45. These include flaw tolerant components, tested to perform perfectly even when known defects have been introduced; engine-out performance that allows pilots to fly home or land safely at mission weights; triple electrical systems; triple hydraulics with automatic leak detection; redundant, separated flight controls; and a unique redundant, suction feed fuel system that eliminates dangerous pressurized fuel leaks. Other safety features include fuel cells that are external to the passenger cabin and self-sealing. The aircraft was protected against lightning strikes, high intensity radiation fields, and icing conditions throughout the expected mission envelope. Turbine burst protection and resistance to bird strikes were also designed in, features unique among aircraft competing for the Presidential mission. Other VH-92 standard safety features included ballistic tolerance to deal with ground threats. The fuel cells were external to the passenger cabin, self-sealing, and can withstand up to 23 mm ballistic strike.

The VH-92 built on all the lessons about reliability and safety that Sikorsky had learned through more than five million flight hours of the H-60 BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK helicopters. Versions of these robust machines are flown by every branch of the United States armed forces, and by the governments of 25 nations outside the United States.

Sikorsky had provided helicopters to the White House for every President since Dwight D. Eisenhower. That wealth of experience was behind many design decisions that went into the VH-92. For example, even though the VH-92's cabin was larger than that of the current Presidential fleet, the VH-92 is the only helicopter competing for the White House mission that required no disassembly to fit inside either C-5 or C-17 transport aircraft.

Sikorsky also had a fully DoD security-compliant manufacturing and support infrastructure already in place. This was a key advantage for the accelerated schedule on which these aircraft may be procured, allowing Sikorsky to provide mission-ready VH-92s by 2008.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced in January 2004 the formation of the All-American VH-92 Team, an enhanced set of all-American alliances for its bid to win the next generation Presidential helicopter.

The proposed VH-92 variant and the empennages would not have been built in China, as with the S-92.

The members of the All American VH-92 Team include:

• Sikorsky Aircraft, of Stratford, Connecticut, will lead the team and serve as the prime system integrator, including aircraft and system design, component manufacturing, final assembly and in-service support.
• FlightSafety International, of New York, New York, will provide simulation and training equipment.
• L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, headquartered in Greenville, Texas, will provide mission communications systems and the aircraft interior furnishings.
• Northrop Grumman, of Rolling Meadows, Illinois and San Jose, California, will provide aircraft survivability systems.
• Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will provide major cockpit systems.
• Vought Aircraft Industries, Dallas, Texas, will provide integrated aerostructures.
• General Electric Aircraft Engines, of Lynn, Massachusetts, will supply its CT7-8C engine.

This alliance was previously announced at the 2003 Paris Air Show.

CH-148 Cyclone

Sikorsky’s H-92 Superhawk is the new Maritime Helicopter, to be known as the CH-148 Cyclone in Canadian Forces service. The Maritime Helicopter Project to replace the SH-3 Sea King was initiated in the 1980s. Brian Mulroney's Conservative government first tried to replace the Sea Kings in 1992, reaching a $5.8-billion deal to buy 50 EH101 Merlin helicopters. Soon after the 1993 election the deal was scrapped by the Liberal government under then-Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who paid $500 million in penalties to get out of the contract. The Canadian Air Force’s only dedicated search and rescue (SAR) helicopter, the CH-149 Cormorant, is a variant of th EH101.

In late 2003 there was a call for tenders, with a winner was announced in July of 2004. Sikorsky was awarded contracts in November 2004 to provide the 28 maritime helicopters and to provided in-service support for those helicopters. The $3.2B contract includes airframes and integrated systems. The 20-year parts/training package is a $1.8B deal covering construction and operation of the Maritime Helicopter Training Centre at CFB Shearwater.

The CH-148 Cyclone, a variant of the Sikorsky H-92 SUPERHAWK™ maritime helicopter was initially scheduled to be delivered in November 2008. But in January 2008 the Canadian Press reported the new helicopters to replace Canada's aging fleet of Sea Kings will likely be delayed up to 30 months. The military's chief of defence staff said he was frustrated by the delay. Gen. Rick Hillier said Canada's military must shed a reputation for using outdated equipment. "We've become world class at maintaining old equipment, and we don't want to be world class at maintaining old equipment," Hillier said following a speech in Halifax.

Sikorsky joined with General Dynamics Canada and L-3 MAS Canada to form The Maritime Helicopter Team, which will develop, certify and field the new Cyclone fleet. General Dynamics Canada, based in Ottawa, Ontario, is responsible for the Cyclone's systems integration. General Dynamics Canada was awarded the contract to become the system integrator for Canada's new shipborne helicopter, the CH148 Cyclone. General Dynamics Canada's role involves the selection, purchase, integration and installation of all the mission systems for the fleet of 28 aircraft. These mission systems include radar, ESM, acoustics, self-defence, navigation and communication systems. L-3 MAS, based in Mirabel, Quebec, is responsible for long-term in-service support of the Cyclone for the Canadian Forces. MHP office staff will also be co-located at General Dynamics Canada and S-3 MAS facilities.

The Cyclone helicopter's flaw-tolerant design and other advances provided a margin of safety and reliability. The Cyclone will be multi-mission capable and will perform surface surveillance and control, subsurface surveillance and control, and utility operations that included search and rescue, passenger and cargo transfer, medical evacuations and tactical transport in support of national, North American and international security.

The Cyclone will conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surveillance, and search and rescue (SAR) missions. It will also provide tactical transport for national and international security efforts. This twin-engine helicopter is compatible with the latest high-tech frigates and includes several new safety features. Its aluminum and composite airframe is built with lightning-strike and high-intensity radio frequency (RF) pulse protection. The aircraft also incorporates flaw tolerance and engine burst containment. The Cyclone has day-and-night capability, and can fly in all weather conditions and in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +55°C. With a maximum speed of 306 km/h, the CH-148 is almost twice as fast as the Sea King. The Cyclone can also fly 925 km without refuelling - more than three times farther than its predecessor.