This blog refers to the VH-71 Kestrel the helicopter that was due to replace the existing US Presidential fleet of VH-3 and VH-60 helicopters.
On June 1st 2009 the VH-71 project was terminated by the US Navy after both cost and time overruns.
Will the project be resurrected ?
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense has approved $485.2 million in funding to put five VH-71 presidential helicopters into operation.
But the fight to keep the program alive is not over. “There are several legislative steps that the bill needs to go through before the funding for the helicopter is officially allocated,” said the office of U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley. For instance, the Senate needs to take up its own version of the Defense Appropriations bill and the president would have to sign the legislation. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he will work to have the funding matched in the Senate.
The VH-71 program has used a number of helicopter airframes for testing and development.
Five Test Vehicle helicopters ( TV-1 to TV-5 ) and five Pilot Production helicopters ( PP-1 to PP-5 ) have been delivered to the US.
In addition some related testing has used the AgustaWestland US-101 development airframe known as "G-17-510" at Yeovil, UK.
Below are brief details of each individual helicopter built
Test Vehicle 1 - EH-101 "TV-1"
TV-1 was quickly acquired after the VH-71 bid had won the contract in early 2005. TV-1 was built in Italy as an EH-101 Series 410 TTH helicopter destined for the Italian Navy as serial MM81495.
It arrived at the Lockheed Martin plant at Owego, New York in June 2005 painted in a light grey colour scheme. It soon accquired "VH-71 TV-1" titles and moved on to NAVAIR at NAS Patuxent River in November 2005.
TV-1 acted as a template with similar shape, size, capacity and dimensions as the VH-71 itself and allowed VH-71 contractors and US military to gain some familiarity with the basic core design before the purpose built VH-71 aircraft arrived.
Was TV-1 issued with a US Navy six digit Bureau Number tail registration while operating in the US ?
TV-1 was returned to AgustaWestlands in Italy during 2008 having completed its role in the VH-71 project - upon return to Italy it has been operating serialled as CSX81495.
Test Vehicle 2 - VH-71A TV-2
TV-2 was the first purpose built VH-71 airframe. It was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-2 first flew on 3rd July 2007. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-002. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In November 2007 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 95-0105 callsign REACH 278 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.
A LM report states that TV-2 has flown over 50 flight hours
It is likely that this and all other VH-71 test helicopters would have been issued with a US Navy six digit "Bureau Number", a tail serial registration number - this number is unknown to me
TV-2 was assigned to the US Navy for trials - current location is unknown but maybe at Pax River ?
Test Vehicle 3 - VH-71A TV-3
TV-3 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-3 first flew on 27th February 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-003. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In March 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 01-0195 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.
TV-3 was assigned to Lockheed Martin at their Owego, New York site - it was the first airframe to be fitted with mission systems to validate inflight data. Used to test the Presidential communications suite.
TV-3 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
TV-3 current location unknown but maybe at Owego, NY ?
Test Vehicle 4 - VH-71A TV-4
TV-4 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-4 first flew on 19th March 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-004. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In April 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 94-0069 callsign REACH 484 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.
TV-4 was assigned to Lockheed Martin at their Owego, New York site to join TV-3
TV-4 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
TV-4 current location unknown but maybe at Owego, NY ?
Test Vehicle 5 - VH-71A TV-5
TV-5 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-5 first flew on 11th December 2007. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-005. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In December 2007 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 01-0194 callsign REACH 489 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.
A LM report states that TV-5 has flown over 51 flight hours
TV-5 was assigned to the US Navy for trials - current location is unknown but maybe at Pax River ?
TV-5 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
Pilot Production 1 - VH-71A PP-1
PP-1 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-1 first flew on 22nd September 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-101.
In November 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 89-1191 callsign REACH 360 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme. LM announced that this aircraft would undergo a two month ground based vibration test prior to flying to Owego for the installation of mission systems, communications suite, Presidential interior and exterior livery
PP-1 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
PP-1 current location unknown ?
Pilot Production 2 - VH-71A PP-2
PP-2 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-2 first flew in February 2008 ( do you know that f/f date please ? ) . It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-102.
In March 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0005 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA using the callsign REACH 285. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme.
PP-2 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
PP-2 current location unknown ?
Pilot Production 3 - VH-71A PP-3
PP-3 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-3 first flew on 29th November 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-103.
In December 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0002 callsign REACH 292 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme. PP-3 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
PP-3 current location unknown ?
Pilot Production 4 - VH-71A PP-4
PP-4 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-4 first flew on 13th January 2009. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-104.
In February 2009 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0065 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme. PP-4 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
PP-4 current location unknown ?
Pilot Production 5 - VH-71A PP-5 PP-5 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-5 first flew on 2009. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-105.
In April 2009 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 97-0048 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme. PP-5 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?
PP-5 current location unknown ?
US 101 - G-17-510
AgustaWestlands own aircraft used for the VXX sales bid as the "US-101" - this first flew on 26th September 2006 - by 2009 it was operating marked as "AW-101".
Olive green colours. Used for a variety of manufacturers tests and trials including the uprated GE CT7-8E engine.
During 2008 it operated from the GE facility at Victorville, California testing the hot & high performance of this new engine model. The cockpit has also been updated to include 5 10" x 8" LCD colour displays.
In early 2009 it was seen in the US undergoing inflight icing trials - flying behind a CH-47 Chinook fitted with water spraying gear at altitude to test the formation of ice on the AW-101 / VH-71 in flight - great photo on Flicker - take a look via
In April 2009 it was seen operating at Baltimore, Maryland with several engine panels painted light grey plus red panels on the rear boom.
By 2009 it was testing the revised and strengthened Articulated Tail Rotor - shown at the Paris Air Show with green engine panels in June 2009.
On 30th June 2009 G-17-510 made a precautionary landing in a farmers field in Devon, England about 15 miles away from its home base at Yeovil, Somerset.
Click on the photo below to read a short local news article on this incident
Increment 2 Aircraft - these upgraded VH-71B helicopters should in theory if funding and project go-ahead can be resurrected be built by Bell Helicopters in Texas, USA.
All the photos on this page have come from the VH-71 contractors press released images - either AgustaWestland, Lockheed Martin or US Navy NAVAIR.
TV-1
The Italian built EH-101 MM81495 was leased to the US once the VH-71 contract was won and became Test Vehicle -1 TV-1 - seen here landing at LM Owego, New York, USA
TV-1 is shown here taxying at Patuxent River NAS home of the US Navy NAVAIR VH-71 trials.
TV-2
The first purpose built VH-71 was TV-2 shown here on a test flight over Somerset, England, UK in 2007 - note the AgustaWestland flight test registration G-17-002
Official Lockheed Martin / Agustawestland promo video of TV-2 during its first flight
TV-2 G-17-002 shown painted olive green in the UK in November 2007
TV-3
TV-4
TV-5
TV-5 test flying at Yeovil, UK as G-17-005
PP-1
PP-1 on its first test flight at Yeovil, Somerset, UK
PP-2
PP-3
PP-4
PP-4 test flying in the UK as G-17-104 PP-5
US 101 - G-17-510
The US-101 prototype flying over the UK wearing an olive green colour scheme as G-17-510
The following list are places and units associated with the VH-71 Kestrel
Yeovil, Somerset, England, UK
Home to the AgustaWestland helicopter factory where nine VH-71 helicopters were built. This factory built Test Vehicles TV-2 to TV-5 and Pilot Production PP-1 to PP-5.
Yeovil is a large town of approx 42,000 people in mainly rural county. Westlands having been building aircraft here on this site since 1915. During World War 1 they licence built almost 1,100 aircraft and sea planes. Famous types designed and built by Westlands include the World War 2 Westland Whirlwind a twin engined tank buster and the covert special ops Westland Lysander, often used to drop secret agents into Nazi occupied Europa. Westlands also built Spitfire and Seafire fighters under contract to Supermarine during WW2. The Luftwaffe bombed Yeovil and the factory several times. After the war Westlands became Britains premier helicopter manufacturer initially working on their own designs such as the Westland Westminster but soon licence building US designs such as the Westland Bell 47, the Whirlwind ( S-55 deriative ) the Wessex ( S-58 deriative ) and the Sea King ( H-3 ie related to the VH-3 ! ) and most recently with the Westlands AH-64 Apache. They have also built several designs in conjunction with the French firm Aerospatial ( now part of Eurocopter ) such as the Gazelle, Lynx and Puma.
The European Helicopters consortium EH-101 Merlin is built at Westlands from which the VH-71 is derived. Initially a second production line was also in place with Agusta in Italy, however following the merger of Westlands and Agusta in 2001 all "101" production was transferred soley to Yeovil.
Home to Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - LMSI. The town has a population of approx 22,000 people and is in Tioga County about 150 miles North East of New York City.
Each VH-71 has come here to be fitted out with with critical mission systems, communications systems and luxury interiors.
The external photo link below shows a VH-71 undergoing vibration testing at Owego.
Home to the US Navy Naval Air Warfare Center ( NAWC ) a part of NAVAIR located along Chesapeake Bay by the mouth the of Patuxent River. The airfield was build during World War 2.
NAVAIR are ultimate project leaders for the VH-71. Patuxent River is home to many specialised US Navy testing and evaluation units. The VH-71 project team is known as PMA-274 and has the task of bringing this special new helicopter into US service.
HX-21 squadron badge
The actual test flying of the VH-71 will be carried out by the pilots and crew of squadron HX-21 - HX-21 fly many test, development and modified helicopters as part of the Rotary Wing aircraft Team ( RWAT )
Home to HMX-1 - HMX-1 is the USMC helicopter squadron that has the privilege and honour to operate the Presidential helicopter fleet. The USMC first established a base at Quantico back in 1917.
Currently flying the familiar VH-3D and VH-60N from the lawns of the White House the unit also operates several VH-46 and VH-53 helicopters to support this mission.
Promo video from National Geographic TV about HMX-1 visiting New York City
Quantico is also home to the excellent National Museum of the Marine Corps which includes many historic aircraft and helicopter exhibits - if you are in the area make sure you visit this exhibition.
The current fleet of Marine 1 helicopters operated by HMX-1 for Presidential and VVIP flights comprises a mixed fleet of VH-3D Sea Kings and smaller VH-60N Whitehawks.
The VH-3D aircraft were delivered from approx 1974 replacing the older but similar VH-3A.
The VH-60N aircraft were delivered from approx 1988.
Today's VH-3D fleet comprises the following individual helicopters
Bureau Number ( Tail Number ) 159350 159351 159352 159353 159354 159355 159356 159357 159358 - this example is a NVH-3D used by HX-21 at Patuxent River for testing upgrades 159359 159360
VH-3D - photo courtesy of US Navy NAVAIR
Today's VH-60N Whitehawk fleet comprises the following individual helicopters
Bureau Number ( Tail Number )
163259 163260 163261 163262 163263 163264 163265 163266 163267 - this aircraft was destroyed in a post maintenance test flight 19.5.1993 near Quantico, VA
VH-60N and VH-3D behind - photo courtesy of US Navy NAVAIR
Of the older retired VH-3A Sea King aircraft the following examples are preserved on public display
Bureau Number ( Tail Number )
150611 - Preserved at the Ronald Reagan Foundation & Library - Simi Valley, California
