Test Vehicle 3 (TV-3), the third VH-71 helicopter built for the presidential helicopter program, is undergoing final assembly and mission systems integration to enable the helicopter to be used as a command and control platform by the White House, according to Lockheed Martin [LMT].
The Lockheed Martin-AgustaWestland industry team began installing and integrating the test helicopter with the advanced mission systems after the aircraft arrived in the United States via an Air Force C-17 cargo plane from AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil, England. After a stopover at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md., TV-3 was flown to at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY., for final assembly, Lockheed Martin said.
AgustaWestland has shipped three VH-71 helicopters by cargo aircraft to NAS Patuxent River as part of the program. All remaining aircraft, including the five Increment One helicopters that will enter operational service, are scheduled to be in the United States by year’s end.
As a missionized aircraft, TV-3 will be able to validate systems in-flight performance, which has previously only been evaluated in laboratories. Once missionized, TV-3 will join the other two test vehicles, TV-2 and TV-5, already in flight testing, the company reported.
Including TV-1, a leased asset that will complete its required testing in May 2008, the presidential helicopter program has accumulated nearly 700 total hours of flight test. TV-4, the final test aircraft of the program’s first increment of helicopters, made its initial flight March 19 and will arrive at NAS Patuxent River in April.
“TV-3 is the first of two mission test vehicles that will test the Presidential Communication Suite. It’s urgent that we press forward with this much-needed operational requirement to replace the aging VH-3D and VH-60N,” Capt. Donald Gaddis, Presidential Helicopters program manager, said. “With attention focused on the Increment 2 restructure and the FY ’09 budget request, let’s not forget that Increment 1 Test and Evaluation is well underway. We have three helicopters on the flight schedule conducting fuel system, satellite communications and high-powered FM Radio testing, with tail rotor and flight load survey testing on the horizon.”
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the U.S. Navy’s VH-71 presidential helicopter program with overall responsibility for the program and total aircraft system performance. The VH-71 is based on the US101 helicopter, a variant of AgustaWestland’s AW-101 multi-mission helicopter. More than 200 suppliers in 41 states support the VH-71 program, according to Lockheed Martin.