12 juin 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité
By Gina Harkins
The winner of the next presidential election will be the first to fly in one of six new helicopters built for the commander in chief.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, will deliver half a dozen VH-92A aircraft starting in 2021 as part of a new $542 million contract, Navy officials announced Monday. The six aircraft will be the first of 23 new presidential helicopters the company will deliver by 2023.
The contract from Naval Air Systems Command includes support equipment, parts replenishment and spares, according to the announcement.
Dave Banquer, Sikorsky's VH-92A program director, said the latest modifications to the aircraft make it capable of transporting the president anywhere around the world at any time. The aircraft has undergone rigorous testing and operational assessments, including on the south lawn of the White House, according to a Sikorsky news release.
"The VH-92A has flown over 520 flight test hours establishing the aircraft's technical maturity and readiness of its mission systems," it states.
The Quantico, Virginia-based Marine Helicopter One Squadron flies the aircraft that transport the president, vice president and foreign heads of state. The squadron includes a fleet of "White Top" VH-3D Sea Kings, VH-60N "White Hawks" and "Green Top" MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
The VH-92A will "increase performance and payload over the current presidential helicopters," which have been flying for more than 40 years, a Navy release states. That includes better communication capabilities and maintainability.
Most of the work on the new helicopters will be done in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, with some also taking place in New York, Maryland and Virginia.
James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said the government and contract teams were able to move the deal into initial production at more than "$1 billion less than the program's cost baseline."
Marines in Quantico have been learning how to fly the new helos since earlier this year on a new training device. The replica VH-92A cockpit gives pilots "mission-oriented flight training in a simulation-based training device," Sikorsky said in its release.
"The training suite allows maintainers to hone their skills to effectively maintain the aircraft and practice troubleshooting," it states.
11 mai 2021 | International, Terrestre
American Rheinmetall Vehicles is investing in its pursuit to build the U.S. Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle by opening up a large facility to aid its design and prototyping efforts.
30 janvier 2019 | International, Aérospatial
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 28, 2019 — The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $2.4 billion production contract for the next 19 P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The contract includes 10 aircraft to add to the current inventory of P-8As in the U.S. Navy fleet, all five jets currently under contract for Norway and the four aircraft remaining for the existing United Kingdom contract, bringing the total United Kingdom acquisition to nine aircraft. The United Kingdom and Norway are acquiring the Boeing aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive a variant designed and produced for the U.S. Navy called the P-8A Poseidon. The United Kingdom will receive their first aircraft in 2019 and Norway will begin receiving aircraft in 2021. The P-8 is a long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. A military derivative of the Boeing Commercial Next-Generation 737 airplane, the P-8 combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the battle space. The P-8 is militarized with maritime weapons, a modern open mission system architecture, and commercial-like support for affordability. The aircraft has been modified to include a bomb bay and pylons for weapons – two weapons stations on each wing – and can carry 129 sonobuoys. The aircraft is also fitted with an in-flight refueling system. With more than 180,000 flight hours to date, P-8 variants, the P-8A Poseidon and the P-8I, patrol the globe performing anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; humanitarian; and search and rescue missions. For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace. # # # Contact: Nanette Feeney Defense, Space & Security Mobile: +1 206-304-2002 nanette.m.feeney@boeing.com https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2018-01-28-Boeing-Receives-2-4-Billion-P-8A-Poseidon-Contract-From-U-S-Navy
11 avril 2023 | International, Terrestre
Japan has awarded its largest defence equipment maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries contracts worth 378 billion yen ($2.84 billion) to develop and build a new missile force aimed at deterring China from using military force in East Asia.