×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk)


Medium-Lift Multirole Transport Helicopter


United States | 2004



"International partners were needed by Sikorsky to bring the S-92 product to market - over 200 have since been built for multiple parties the worldover."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Sikorsky S-92 Medium-Lift Multirole Transport Helicopter.
2 x General Electric CT7-8A turboshaft engines developing 2,520 horsepower each while driving a four-bladed main rotor and four-bladed tail rotor.
Propulsion
190 mph
305 kph | 165 kts
Max Speed
14,009 ft
4,270 m | 3 miles
Service Ceiling
621 miles
1,000 km | 540 nm
Operational Range
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Sikorsky S-92 Medium-Lift Multirole Transport Helicopter.
3
(MANNED)
Crew
56.1 ft
17.10 m
O/A Length
56.3 ft
(17.17 m)
O/A Width
15.5 ft
(4.71 m)
O/A Height
15,498 lb
(7,030 kg)
Empty Weight
26,500 lb
(12,020 kg)
MTOW
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk) family line.
S-92 - Base Model Designation
S-92A - Civilian market model with variable passenger seating or cargo-hauling capability.
S-92A+- Upgraded S-92A production models to newer standard with advanced computing (MATRIX technology); autonomous landing support; SuperSearch-capable for SAR.
S-92B - New-build S-92+ helicopters though also with enlarged cabin windows; SAR capability if outfitted; common cabin door.
H-92 "Superhawk" - Military model; outfitted with uprated CT7-8C turboshaft engines of 3,070 horsepower and Fly-By-Wire control scheme; SAR kit available for Search / Rescue function.
VH-92 - U.S. Navy / Marine model for Presidential VIP transport.
CH-148 "Cyclone" - Canadian military model based on the S-92.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/04/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

In 2004, Sikorsky introduced its latest helicopter market entry through the S-92 medium-lift helicopter product. The helicopter was developed to succeed the aging and outgoing line of S-3 series helicopters and has since been built in over 200 examples serving civilian, military and governmental entities. Some high-profile variants have also been born from the base S-92 design.

Development of the S-92 achieved momentum during the early 1990s when a mockup was revealed at the time. However, faced with an economic downturn in the international helicopter market, Sikorsky was forced to pull back the reigns of the S-92 project and sought international help in bringing the product to market. The group - involving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of Japan, Gamesa of Spain, Jingdezhen of China, Taiwan Aerospace, Embraer of Brazil, and MIL of Russia - became known as "Team S-92" and the S-92 program was officially launched during the 1995 Paris Air Show.

The S-92 was designed upon several key proven components and qualities seen in the earlier H-60 family helicopters (the H-60 forming the basis of the successful UH-60 "Black Hawk" family). At least 40% of the new aircraft's construction involved composites. A ramp with applicable access was fitted to the fuselage rear for expediting loading / unloading of cargo. The cockpit was all-modern with four large LCD panels and sat its crew of two in a side-by-side arrangement. The passenger area could be reworked to seat between nineteen and twenty-two depending on seating configuration or cleared out altogether to haul cargo containers. The twin turboshaft engine arrangement was used to power a four-bladed composite main rotor with a four-bladed tail rotor seated to starboard. The elevated tail stem provided good clearance and access to the loading ramp underneath. The tricycle wheeled undercarriage was made fully-retractable into the airframe.

Two major variants ultimately emerged - one intended for the civilian market and the other for military service. The S-92 became the civilian market form (originally known as the S-92C "Helibus") and has since found a few notable homes worldwide, generally as part of airlines or offshore oil drilling companies. Operators have been seen in Brunei, Canada, China, Norway, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States. Additionally, this model has been accepted as a governmental support transport aircraft as witnessed by the growing collection of operators committed to it - from Azerbaijan and Bahrain to Turkey and Turkmenistan.

The H-92 "Superhawk" is the military offering and has been completed with uprated General Electric CT7-8C series turboshaft engines of 3,070 horsepower (each) for the rigors of military service. The aircraft also carries a digital Fly-By-Wire (FBW) control scheme which is absent in the base S-92 form.

The United States Marine Corps have ordered a stock of six helicopters to modify it for the "Marine One" Presidential transport role under the "VH-92" designation. Funding for some twenty-three of this model were covered in the U.S. Navy's 2015 budget. The S-92 originally faced off against the Lockheed VH-71 "Kestrel" and lost the Marine One ("VXX") competition. However, as the VH-71 suffered delays and cost overruns during its protracted development, the competition was reopened in 2010 and Sikorsky handed in the only bid - therefore they were announced the winner of VXX in May of 2014 while the Kestrel product was cancelled (nine were built and subsequently sold off to Canada).

The Sikorsky CH-148 "Cyclone" is a Canadian military offshoot of the militarized Superhawk. While a first-flight was held back in November of 2008 (official delivery was to occur that month), the program has suffered from consistent setbacks during its development phase. Only six have been produced to date (2016) of the 28 systems on order.

Other global military operators of the S-92 family include Kuwait (Air Force) and South Korea (Air Force).

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

February 2019 - It was announced that an unnamed Mexican oil-and-gas industry customer has ordered an unspecified number of S-92 helicopters from Sikorsky.

March 2019 - Sikorsky has unveiled the S-92A+ and S-92B production models featuring modernized / upgraded systems for enhanced performance and mission support. A+ models will be updated in-service S-92A helicopters while B-models will be new-build systems.

August 2019 - Brazil has approved/certified a Search and Rescue (SAR) variant of the Sikorsky S-92. This now completes the possibility that the helicopter can be sold in its various forms across various Brazil civilian and commercial industries.

April 2020 - Cougar Helicopters, serving the offshore oil and gas sector, has been announced as the launch customer for the new S-92A+ helicopter model.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 300 Units

Contractor(s): Sikorsky Aircraft - USA
National flag of Australia National flag of Azerbaijan National flag of Bahrain National flag of Brazil National flag of Canada National flag of China National flag of Ireland National flag of modern Japan National flag of Kuwait National flag of Mexico National flag of Norway National flag of Qatar National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National flag of South Korea National flag of Thailand National flag of Turkey National flag of Turkmenistan National flag of the United Kingdom National flag of the United States

[ Australia; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Brazil; Brunei; Canada; China; Ireland; Japan; Kuwait; Mexico; Norway; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; South Korea; Thailand; Turkey; Turkmenistan; United Kingdom; United States ]
1 / 2
Image of the Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk)
Image from Sikorsky marketing material.
2 / 2
Image of the Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk)
Image from Sikorsky marketing material.

Going Further...
The Sikorsky S-92 (Superhawk) Medium-Lift Multirole Transport Helicopter appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
MODERN AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)