McCain and Obama both hedge on costly new Marine One

[Fade]

John McCain and Barack Obama both hedge on costly new Marine One
By Glen Johnson, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - John McCain and Barack Obama vow to reform the nation's defence procurement if elected president, yet each is unwilling to take a firm stand against the skyrocketing cost of a plum White House perk: the new Marine One helicopter.

Originally carrying a hefty price tag at $6.1 billion, the fleet of 28 helicopters being built to fly the next president is now projected to cost $11.2 billion.

At $400 million apiece, the helicopters far exceed a prime example McCain uses on the campaign trail to rail against congressional pork-barrel spending, a $230 million "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska.

The British have bought the same base model helicopter for $57 million each.

Story continued... (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/07/18/6200891-ap.html)

[Migman]

Even though the $400 million price does bother me a bit, it is no surprise that they aren't actively speaking out against the new helos since either one or the other will be the first to use it.

[brainplay]

I can understand an ECM suite, standard countermeasures, massive communications upgrades, upgraded armor, and a few othere emnities but dear god 400 million for a helo? I can understand maybe a 1/4 of that price with the upgrades but 400 million? I know we can't violate opsec but one often wants to know what the heck they've got in there that can be that expensive.

[Pandy]

The helo better be able to walk the president out, and fly at mach one

[Migman]

The helo better be able to walk the president out, and fly at mach one

Forget that, it better be able to super cruise, drop JDAMs, fire AMRAAMs, and have a built-in pretzel maker!

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Why doesn't the US President just do what ever other country does.

Make their president fly in a public plane or use standard airforce kit?

[StealthMode]

During my MBA, I negotiated with a controller, and primary team lead from Agusta Westland that was traveling from Italy to Washington regarding Marine One.

She told me that "they" kept making changes to the design and modifications, etc. and they had to keep re-negotiating. This was in 2006.

She didn't answer my questions (classified) regarding capabilities. ;)

[Power_serj]

Pimp my helo?! How the heck do you pimp out a helicopter to $11 billion dollars? I don't think I could do that if I tried to spend that much on a helo. I bet it's filled with Cuban cigars, the most expensive champagne and liquor, the most expensive reclines, James Bond style cabinet that houses a variety of weapons and some fine young ladies for when Bush needs some bush.

[Ratamacue]

Pimp my helo?! How the heck do you pimp out a helicopter to $11 billion dollars? I don't think I could do that if I tried to spend that much on a helo. I bet it's filled with Cuban cigars, the most expensive champagne and liquor, the most expensive reclines, James Bond style cabinet that houses a variety of weapons and some fine young ladies for when Bush needs some bush.Reading comprehension. It's $11 billion for a fleet of 28 VH-71s. The individual unit cost of each will be approximately $400 million.

[Hellfish]

Given all the gadgets they put on the thing, I'm not too surprised by the price tag. I've also heard that this projects suffers from "addendumitis" too, meaning the government keeps trying to add new features after the contract and work has already started.

[Winger]

The whole thing is probably made from berillium. For the price it better had be.

[LoboCanada]

Why don't they fly the President on an F-22? But seriously, why do they need 28 helicopters to fly 1 guy around?

[Hellfish]

Why don't they fly the President on an F-22? But seriously, why do they need 28 helicopters to fly 1 guy around?

The JEEP - Joint Emergency Evacuation Program. If we get nuked, those 28 helicopters are going to be busy picking up all the JEEP cardholders (Pres, VP, various cabinet secretaries, advisors, etc) and taking them to their various contingency locations (bunkers, NEACAPs, etc).

[nyarlathotep]

Hellfish, NEACP was dropped in the late 90s and replaced with NAOC.

To my knowledge the NEACP acronym is not used anymore.

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

The JEEP - Joint Emergency Evacuation Program. If we get nuked, those 28 helicopters are going to be busy picking up all the JEEP cardholders (Pres, VP, various cabinet secretaries, advisors, etc) and taking them to their various contingency locations (bunkers, NEACAPs, etc).

The other reason is so they can have 5 of them fly whenever the president gets picked up so that terrorists et al don't know which one he's riding in.


Why doesn't the US President just do what ever other country does.

Make their president fly in a public plane or use standard airforce kit?


Security, plus the massive amount of travel the US president does means he has to be able to communicate securely with whoever needs communicating with.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Ahm he travels just as much as any other head of state, prime minister.

Seriously. Country is in major trouble with expenses verse income sooner or later such expenses will need to be looked at.

I see wastage and a "my **** is bigger then yours"

[Hellfish]

Hellfish, NEACP was dropped in the late 90s and replaced with NAOC.

To my knowledge the NEACP acronym is not used anymore.

Ah, didn't know that. Thanks.

[apasc08]

it costs 400 million because CLEARLY its a TRANSFORMER of some kind...hopefully an AUTOBOT

[helomech]

Cancel the program and start over with Sikorsky,you'll be within your budget and on time,I'm willing to bet on both.

And no,I don't work for Sikorsky either

$400 million,must have a gold plated sh1tter aboard

[perdurabo]

The JEEP - Joint Emergency Evacuation Program. If we get nuked, those 28 helicopters are going to be busy picking up all the JEEP cardholders (Pres, VP, various cabinet secretaries, advisors, etc) and taking them to their various contingency locations (bunkers, NEACAPs, etc).
lol so in time of nuke attack they still need to ave leather seats? you yanks are weird :roll: why not buy 5-6 in presidential version with uber technology and rest in normal vip config? or even better buy only 5-6 in prez version and rest of transport do by normal army/marine/airforce helos? :roll: its not like some vice secretary will be pissed because he was saved from nuclear explosion by normal hormal helo instead of super-duper marine one :roll:

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

lol so in time of nuke attack they still need to ave leather seats? you yanks are weird :roll: why not buy 5-6 in presidential version with uber technology and rest in normal vip config? or even better buy only 5-6 in prez version and rest of transport do by normal army/marine/airforce helos? :roll: its not like some vice secretary will be pissed because he was saved from nuclear explosion by normal hormal helo instead of super-duper marine one :roll:

Interesting idea. You could even make the other ones with dummy bells and whistles on the outside so they could still fulfill the decoy role.

[budgie]

Why doesn't the US President just do what ever other country does.

Make their president fly in a public plane or use standard airforce kit?

The US president is far more likely to need the added security than the leaders of say Australia, Canada or NZ.

[szr]

why do they need 28 helicopters to fly 1 guy around?Why exactly 28? I don't know. But why a bunch of helicopters for one man? Even the President's helicopters have downtime. And when the President flies somewhere he's got a complement of helicopters to fly him and his people to Andrews AFB, or whatever airport he's departing from, and another complement of helicopters waiting for him at his destination, wherever that may be. And on international trips he may visit a half-dozen countries in 7-10 days, making dozens of stops, requiring helicopter availability the whole way even if he's doing a lot of motocading.

[Holycrusader]

it costs 400 million because CLEARLY its a TRANSFORMER of some kind...hopefully an AUTOBOT


My first thought...

[Fiber]

It might not super cruise. But it can hover! :D

[LoboCanada]

Cancel the program and start over with Sikorsky,you'll be within your budget and on time,I'm willing to bet on both.

And no,I don't work for Sikorsky either

$400 million,must have a gold plated sh1tter aboard

Canada's recent experience with that same company will prove otherwise.

[SilentType]

You get what you pay for folks.

If God forbid WWIII breaks out those helicopters will be worth every damn penny.