New Helicopter for the President

Datadriver said:
Yes. I think it happened due to the high degree of specialty and the low purchase volume. But that's nuts. We should buy fewer for even more $, who cares because our kids and grandkids will have to pay - not us. Woo Hoo!:hairraise:
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I know some folks who worked on the AW project some years back. The requirements made up by the different agencies were contradictory and not compatible with the laws of physics. With the high number of one-of parys, the helo was going to be a support nightmare.

The needs of the president would be best served if they bought a small fleet of off the shelf S92s In executive configuration and stuck the portable communications package used by the WH communications agency on them.
 
However, various security agencies get nervous about off the shelf design and assembly due to a history of surveillance devices being installed at the time of manufacture. Remember, these aircraft must support secure communications, and there is a LOT more to that than just the transmitter and receiver.
 
weilke said:
...SNIP...The needs of the president would be best served if they bought a small fleet of off the shelf S92s In executive configuration and stuck the portable communications package used by the WH communications agency on them.
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A Sikorsky S92 is about $32 million, max speed of 190 MPH. With the new electronics for secure comms, a couple of briefcases would cover that. Add a little defensive capability, and I'd bet the per unit price wouldn't be much over $70 mill. Still, half the CURRENT projected per unit cost.
I've ridden in a SAR S92. Damn fine aircraft even for a working, first call, machine.
 
MAKG1 said:
However, various security agencies get nervous about off the shelf design and assembly due to a history of surveillance devices being installed at the time of manufacture. Remember, these aircraft must support secure communications, and there is a LOT more to that than just the transmitter and receiver.
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They have portable kits that they can throw in a car. Not much more to it than a couple of peli-boxes, an antenna and a phone with a red button.

The lowest chance of getting surveillance planted is if the goverment just purchased the things off the commercial production line through one of their front companies without any nexus to the presidential transport program.
 
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Where do they use these? I know they use them to pick up and drop off from the White House lawn. But do they use them overseas? If so, I can see some need for something more top end than off the shelf.
 
PPC1052 said:
Where do they use these? I know they use them to pick up and drop off from the White House lawn. But do they use them overseas? If so, I can see some need for something more top end than off the shelf.
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For some of the overseas trips, a C5 will transport one or more copies of Marine 1 to the respective country.
 
JeffDG said:
I don't think they ever travel with just one...
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Generally there is one. It's not an H-3 either. They use the H-60 "Marine One" with a support of either Army or Marine regular unit helos. That is even if they use HMX-1. When POTUS was in Afghanistan while I was there he flew in "Army One."
 
You can blame it on the current POTUS all you want. All presidents get horrendously expensive upgrades. They've been trying to get these choppers replaced for a number of years. It may be a waste of money, and maybe it isn't. But it's not a function of who the current president is. It would have happened if Romney had been elected.
 
Velocity173 said:
Generally there is one. It's not an H-3 either. They use the H-60 "Marine One" with a support of either Army or Marine regular unit helos. That is even if they use HMX-1. When POTUS was in Afghanistan while I was there he flew in "Army One."
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write-stuff said:
You can blame it on the current POTUS all you want. All presidents get horrendously expensive upgrades. They've been trying to get these choppers replaced for a number of years. It may be a waste of money, and maybe it isn't. But it's not a function of who the current president is. It would have happened if Romney had been elected.
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I agree. Same thing goes for TFRs. What I'm confused on though is Obama canceled this program back in 2009 because at $13 billion it was wasteful. Now Sikorsky has been awarded this new contract but now at $17 billion. Just doesn't make sense to me. What's changed since then to be able to afford a more even costly program???
 
Velocity173 said:
I agree. Same thing goes for TFRs. What I'm confused on though is Obama canceled this program back in 2009 because at $13 billion it was wasteful. Now Sikorsky has been awarded this new contract but now at $17 billion. Just doesn't make sense to me. What's changed since then to be able to afford a more even costly program???
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Bigger printing press installed at treasury...
 
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