South Korea to purchase four U.S. Sikorsky S92A+ as new Presidential command helicopters.

South Korea is moving to acquire four Sikorsky S-92A+ helicopters to replace its aging presidential VH-92 fleet, a decision revealed by Seoul Economic Daily on May 19, 2026, that strengthens the country’s airborne command-and-control survivability during national crises. The program prioritizes secure continuity-of-government operations, electronic warfare resilience, and protected executive mobility at a time when Seoul is placing greater emphasis on maintaining leadership connectivity under missile, air defense, and electronic attack threats.

The S-92A+ was selected largely because it preserves operational commonality with South Korea’s existing VH-92 fleet while accelerating fielding timelines and reducing transition risk for strategic missions. Equipped with secure communications, missile-warning systems, infrared countermeasures, and integrated command networks linked to national crisis-management infrastructure, the helicopters are designed to function as protected airborne command posts rather than simple VIP transports, reflecting the broader trend toward hardened executive mobility platforms in high-threat environments.

Related topic: Donald Trump to fly aboard the VH-92A Patriot as the new Marine One helicopter

South Korea selected the Sikorsky S-92A+ because it perfectly matches the country's existing presidential helicopter infrastructure, allowing the air force to fast-track the fleet's deployment while significantly upgrading safety, electronic defense, and airborne command capabilities. (Picture source: Sikorsky)

On May 19, 2026, the Seoul Economic Daily revealed that Sikorsky’s S-92A+ was selected as the preferred proposal for the Command Helicopter-II program to replace the South Korean Air Force’s presidential VH-92 fleet, introduced in 2007. The program budget allocated by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is estimated between KRW 8.7 trillion and KRW 9 trillion (approximately $5.88 billion to $6.08 billion) for the procurement of four new helicopters.

Following a proposal evaluation conducted between April and May 2026, these S-92A+s will replace three existing VH-92 helicopters based at Seoul Air Base used for presidential displacements and continuity-of-government missions. Contract signature is targeted for 2026, with operational fielding between 2029 and 2031, depending on certification and subsystem integration timelines. This procurement combines the helicopter acquisition with secure communications integration, electronic warfare suites, mission systems, logistics support, training, and long-term sustainment infrastructure.

Current negotiations focus heavily on offset requirements, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul allocation, domestic aerospace workshare, and technology transfer arrangements. The active South Korean Air Force inventory contains three VH-92 presidential helicopters derived from the Sikorsky S-92, selected in 2004 and delivered in 2007 under the earlier VH-X VIP helicopter replacement effort. Having served approximately 18 to 19 years, this fleet has operated significantly beyond the 10-year replacement cycle repeatedly cited in Korean reporting. The VH-92 functions as a unified three-helicopter package, including one presidential transport vehicle and two identical decoy or reserve units used for deception and continuity missions.

The internal configuration integrates specialized VIP transport, secure communications, airborne command functions, and defensive countermeasures linked directly to the national crisis-management architecture via secure command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems. The replacement requirement is driven by escalating sustainment burdens, emerging electronic warfare requirements, long-term supportability limits, and the necessity for upgraded survivability systems rather than basic airframe obsolescence. 

Selecting the S-92A+ delivers direct fleet commonality with the established VH-92 infrastructure managed by the South Korean Air Force, minimizing pilot conversion training, simplifying logistics pipelines, and reducing operational transition disruptions. Existing maintenance procedures, spare parts inventories, and training ecosystems already support the S-92 family in Korea, complemented by Sikorsky's long-standing domestic industrial relationships through UH-60 support and helicopter sustainment activities. The S-92A+'s lineage matches the U.S. presidential VH-92A Marine One fleet, providing political and operational validation of mission suitability.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration projects that retaining this common airframe could compress testing and airworthiness certification schedules enough to accelerate service entry from 2031 to 2029. This potential timeline compression serves as a primary procurement driver because these command helicopters are operated as strategic continuity assets rather than routine transport aircraft. The Sikorsky S-92A+ is a twin-engine medium-lift helicopter configured for offshore transport, search and rescue, executive mobility, and military utility roles.

In standard offshore transport configuration, the cabin accommodates two pilots and 19 passengers, measures 1.83 meters in height, 6.1 meters in length, and 2.0 meters in width, for a total cabin volume of 19.8 cubic meters. The helicopter features a maximum internal-load takeoff weight of 12,564 kilograms, a maximum external-load takeoff weight of 12,836 kilograms, and a maximum cargo hook capacity of 3,628 kilograms. Propulsion consists of two General Electric CT7-8A6 turboshaft engines, each delivering 2,695 shaft horsepower under dual-engine takeoff conditions, with an emergency One Engine Inoperative (OEI) rating of 2,845 shaft horsepower for 30 seconds.

The Phase IV transmission system is rated for 4,170 shaft horsepower combined power during dual-engine operations and features an auxiliary lubrication system for emergency endurance. Performance parameters include a maximum cruise speed of 280 km/h, a long-range cruise speed of 252 km/h, a never-exceed speed of 306 km/h, an endurance of 5.21 hours, and a maximum operational range of 1,013 km on internal fuel. Internal fuel storage consists of 2,877 liters in crashworthy sponson fuel cells, with provisions for two removable 795-liter auxiliary fuel tanks to extend range and loiter time.

The main rotor features a four-blade fully articulated composite system with swept anhedral blade geometry, a titanium hub structure, and a bifilar vibration absorber, complemented by a bearingless four-blade tail rotor. The cabin integrates an Active Vibration Control System utilizing three force generators to minimize internal noise and structural vibration for command operations. The avionics suite comprises four Collins Aerospace multifunction displays, dual four-axis automatic flight control systems, a Honeywell IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radar, a traffic collision avoidance system II, and an enhanced ground proximity warning system.

It also includes an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast capability, dual air data computers, dual attitude and heading reference units, and Universal Avionics UNS-1Espw flight-management systems. Airframe survivability systems feature dual independent 4,000 pounds per square inch hydraulic systems, energy-absorbing retractable landing gear, rotor ice-protection provisions, Sea State 6-certified flotation capability, and rotor de-icing capability. Overwater safety equipment includes deployable emergency locator transmitters, external life rafts, and emergency egress lighting.

Optional mission kits provide electro-optical and infrared sensors, search and rescue flight modes, mission consoles, moving-map systems, automatic identification system transponders, night vision goggle-compatible cockpits, and maritime radar upgrades. South Korea's Command Helicopter-II operational requirement prioritizes survivability and secure airborne command-and-control capabilities over basic transport volume or cargo capacity. The baseline configuration requires the integration of radar warning receivers, infrared countermeasure systems, missile deception equipment, and electronic warfare self-protection suites.

The communication architecture mandates secure data links tied directly into South Korea’s National Crisis Management Center to maintain persistent leadership connectivity. The technical specification encompasses advanced optical and thermal imaging sensors, precise navigation suites, and secure battlefield communication networks. The operational threat environment is defined by the DAPA around short-range air defense systems, man-portable air-defense missiles, electronic attack jamming, and continuity-of-government survival risks during national emergencies.

To mitigate these threats, presidential flight operations utilize tactical deception procedures wherein multiple identical aircraft fly simultaneously to obscure the exact location of the president. The initial phase of the procurement identified four competitive helicopters: the Sikorsky S-92A+, the Airbus H225M, the Leonardo AW101, and the Bell 525. Airbus proposed the H225M, an 11-ton class military helicopter derived from the Cougar and Super Puma design line with an established combat and special operations service history. Leonardo offered the AW101, a larger three-engine helicopter characterized by extended range, high payload capacity, and extensive naval and VIP applications.

Bell submitted the Bell 525, a newer asset utilizing fly-by-wire flight control technology and modernized avionics designed to lower pilot workload. During subsequent evaluation phases, Bell and Leonardo desisted from active participation, leaving Sikorsky as the sole remaining bidder for the contract. The AW101 acquisition profile was constrained by high acquisition costs and long-term sustainment projections despite its favorable cabin volume and lift metrics. The Bell 525 was constrained by its ongoing certification timeline and lower operational maturity compared to established helicopters, increasing developmental risk for this mission profile.

The critical variable in finalizing the acquisition has shifted from helicopter selection to the resolution of industrial offset and workshare negotiations. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) requires domestic workshare clauses encompassing localized maintenance, component manufacturing, and long-term sustainment infrastructure support. South Korean industrial entities are negotiating specific allocations for maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations, technology transfer packages, and local parts production responsibilities.

This extended negotiation phase, despite the selection of the S-92A+, underscores the role of industrial offsets as a primary procurement lever. Macroeconomic factors, including high foreign exchange rates and inflationary pressures, have influenced the program's fiscal outlook, driving estimated costs from KRW 8.7 trillion toward KRW 9 trillion. This procurement is structured internally as a strategic aerospace-industrial development package rather than a standard commercial aircraft purchase, aligning with broader South Korean defense-industrial policies mandating local sustainment self-sufficiency and industrial participation within foreign defense acquisitions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.