Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

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Sikorsky Aircraft is preparing to launch series production of the S-92A+, the latest variant of its flagship large-cabin helicopter. The company revealed on Friday that the assembly line for the S-92A+ will be located in Owego, New York, at the Lockheed Martin Systems Integration facility. Sikorsky is a Lockheed subsidiary.
At least five S-92A+ helicopters are expected to roll off the production line this year, but the facility is capable of producing up to 12 aircraft per year, Leon Silva, Sikorsky’s v-p of global commercial and military systems, told reporters during a pre-Verticon briefing. The company anticipates deliveries of the first S-92A+ in 2028.
“We've decided we're going to leverage the facility that we have up in Owego, New York, that recently completed the delivery of the Presidential S-92s,” Silva said, referring to the variant known as VH-92A.&nbsp;
Silva added that the Owego team has “tons of experience” with S-92 production, having delivered 23 of the new U.S. presidential helicopters between 2021 and 2024.
“Since 2021, as a function of markets and the fact that there were significant numbers of S-92s in storage at the time, we have produced relatively modest numbers of S-92s, one to two aircraft a year, mostly for heads of state,” he said. “In 2026, we're planning to build at least five aircraft of the S-92A+ category.” Last year, the company delivered two S-92As to head-of-state customers in Asia and the Middle East.
The first confirmed customer for the S-92A+ will be an unnamed head-of-state operator that has ordered two aircraft. In anticipation of further orders, Sikorsky is building three additional S-92A+ “spec” aircraft, meaning units built in a standard configuration. “We anticipate still this year to close on additional sales, and so we wanted to kind of get going with the planning and manufacturing of those aircraft,” Silve said.&nbsp;
While Owego will handle the aircraft assembly, most of the aircraft’s components—including the main gearbox, blades, and drivetrains—will continue to be produced at Sikorsky’s headquarters in Stratford, Connecticut.
The upgraded S-92A+ variant centers around <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-03-06/sikorsky-readies-s-92a-certification">Sikorsky’s Phase IV gearbox</a>, which it has been developing for more than a decade at an investment cost of more than $100 million. The Phase IV gearbox adds a backup lubrication system that allows the S-92 to continue operating after a loss of oil pressure, eliminating the long-standing “land immediately” requirement.
In addition to the more robust gearbox, the Sikorsky S-92A+ upgrade adds about 1,200 pounds of additional useful load, LifePlus component life-extension improvements to reduce maintenance downtime, and updated digital avionics based on Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy system that enable features such as automated offshore approaches and enhanced search-and-rescue functions. Optional GE CT7-8A6 engines improve performance at high altitudes and temperatures, while a lighter and more flexible cabin layout enables faster reconfigurations for different missions.
“The S-92A+ helicopter is another example of how we are modernizing the fleet and transforming for the future, and we are building in surge capacity to meet expected demand,” Sikorsky v-p and general manager Rich Benton said. “The S-92 remains the aircraft of choice for head of state, offshore energy, and search-and-rescue operators who want the highest available flight-time helicopter to perform long-range missions in any weather condition.”

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