President Joe Biden boards Marine One in May 2022 on the South Lawn of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Carlos Fyfe)
(Tribune News Service) —If climate change was not a big enough worry for the White House these days, it has a scorched-earth issue on another front — specifically the South Lawn, where Sikorsky reportedly continues to try to find a solution to engine exhaust from its new presidential helicopters damaging the turf.
Sikorsky is working with the White House on a design fix to prevent damage to the lawn during hot weather when engines are providing power to the main rotor set, Bloomberg reported Tuesday citing an unidentified White House official. The Lockheed Martin subsidiary has its headquarters plant in Stratford, Conn.
A Lockheed Martin spokesperson told Bloomberg the manufacturer has “an agreed upon landing zone solution” without stating further details and any timeline to press the VH-92A Patriot into the regular White House shuttle duty. Marine Helicopter Squadron One operates out of Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico in Virginia.
The U.S. Marine Corps has been adding the VH-92A Patriot into the White House fleet over an extended period, as older Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King helicopters get taken off Marine One duties. Marine Helicopter Squadron One also flies a modified Black Hawk model called the VH-60N White Hawk, and the MV-22B Osprey
The White House Military Office is tasked with determining when the VH-92A Patriot can be used to fly the president. The White House fleet is also used to carry the vice president, heads of state and other official parties.
In a $5 billion contract award, the Department of Defense chose Sikorsky in 2014 to develop the VH-92A from its existing S-92 helicopter. Initial production began in 2019 and Sikorsky delivered the first helicopter in May 2020. The White House is fielding 21 helicopters with two more to function as test aircraft for new systems.
Sikorsky also had separate issues with what the Pentagon termed “hot gas impingement” on CH-53K King Stallion cargo helicopters Sikorsky is now building for the Marines.
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