VXX, officially the Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, is a procurement program to replace aging Marine One helicopters that transport the President of the United States. The current VH-3 helicopters have aging airframes, having entered service with United States Marine Corps Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) in 1963. The VH-3D replaced the VH-3A by 1976. The smaller VH-60N entered service in 1987. On 7 May 2014, it was announced that the Sikorsky VH-92 had won the VXX competition.
A Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N
A VH-71 test aircraft at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, October 2005
A developmental Sikorsky VH-92A helicopter conducts landing and take-off testing at the White House South Lawn in September 2018
Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) "Nighthawks", consisting of either the large Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "White Hawk". Both helicopters are called "White Tops" because of their livery. Any Marine Corps aircraft carrying the vice president of the United States without the president has the call sign Marine Two.
Marine One in flight over Washington, D.C., 2005
A former VH-3 Marine One at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan board Marine One, 1987
Inside a VH-3D Marine One transporting President Barack Obama (seated with back to camera), seated with National Security Advisor James L. Jones, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (left to right).
