Sikorsky entered the VH-92 variant of the
S-92 into the
VXX competition for U.S. presidential helicopter
Marine One (replacing the Sikorsky
VH-3D Sea King and
VH-60N White Hawk), but lost to the
Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel. However, the competition was restarted in 2010 due to ballooning VH-71 development costs, allowing Sikorsky to resubmit the VH-92 in April 2010. By mid-2013, all other aircraft manufacturers had dropped out of the contest, leaving only Sikorsky. On 7 May 2014, it was announced that the VH-92 had won the restarted VXX competition. In May 2014, Sikorsky was awarded a
US$1.24 billion contract to produce the VH-92, which is outfitted with an executive interior and military mission support systems, including triple electrical power and redundant flight controls. Six of the variant, designated VH-92A, were ordered by the U.S. Navy for delivery in 2017. Production of a further 17 aircraft was planned to begin in 2020. The total FY2015 program cost is $4.718 billion for 23 helicopters, at an average cost of $205M per aircraft. In July 2016, the design passed its
Critical Design Review, clearing it for production. ==Operational history==