Obama's helicopter Drama
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R@WKIT at 02.24.09 - 5:02 pm
President Obama has talked tough about the need to shed wasteful spending. But will he practice what he preaches? His one-time rival, Sen. John McCain, brought up a pricey presidential project that seems a bit unnecessary — a fleet of 28 new Marine One helicopters that will cost taxpayers around $11.2 billion.
At a recent summit to cut the federal deficit, Sen. McCain suggested that if President Obama wants to help the economy, perhaps he should consider canceling the order. Obama replied that he's already looking into it. Obama then joked that perhaps he's been unknowingly deprived all his life, but his current Marine One chopper seems just fine to him. CNN is reporting that the new helicopters, which were originally ordered by President George W. Bush not long after 9/11, are now on hold (though not officially cancelled...yet).
Naturally, all this talk of gazillion-dollar equipment has people searching. Folks are desperate to know more about the fancy helicopters, what they can do, and why they cost such an exorbitant sum of cash. Queries immediately surged on "marine one photos" and "why is it called marine one." Regarding the second inquiry: It's called Marine One only when the president is aboard.
As for why the president needs 28 of them — apparently, it's a safety precaution. When flying in Marine One, identical choppers travel next to the president's ride. Trickery throws off the bad guys.
But why in the world do these contraptions cost $400 million each? After all, isn't a helicopter just a helicopter? Apparently not. The Washington Post explains that the proposed fleet would be outfitted with "cutting-edge communications equipment, antimissile defenses and hardened hulls." Oh, and a kitchen. You can't forget that.
Nice to know where are out money is going.
Also, key words: not officially cancelled yet.
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MR has trained me eye to read OBAMA HIPSTER DRAMA
_iJunes02.24.09 - 5:27 pm
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yeah it sounds like a good idea not to get those choppers but you know what maybe john mccain should shut the fuck up since he did vote to approve for war in iraq I wounder how many choppers we bought for that war
apineda02.24.09 - 6:03 pm
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I'm only pissed off because this type of technology is off-limits to most people.
I'm going across the border and sneaking a UH-1 back, piece by piece!!!
bentstrider02.24.09 - 6:12 pm
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haha apienda...0, we didn't even buy kevlar jackets.
aksendz02.24.09 - 7:51 pm
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How does Obama taking more than a day to cancel Bush's $11 billion dollar program qualify as Obama's helicoptor drama.
stevestevesteve02.24.09 - 8:52 pm
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as with any kind of military expenditure there is alot to it.
Most all major weapons systems have something built in each congressional district, so not to kill funding for any program. There probably is many people and politicians involved in this helicopter project, it can't be just the president. It would be interesting to see all companies and congressional districts that are involved in building this. I bet you it would blow your mind.
sexy02.24.09 - 9:04 pm
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yeah probably john mccain himself is one of them!
I find it interesting that of all the questions he could have raised he chose that one...I think he was just trying to be an asshole.
la duderina02.24.09 - 9:09 pm
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My question is, What the hell was McCains motivations? Is there nothing built on that thing in AZ?
That was a strange move. McCain did have a kinda of smirkish pissed off bitter look in his face.
sexy02.24.09 - 9:12 pm
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The helicopters aren't for any missions. They are to keep the president safe and to mislead/confuse enemies as to which of the 28 he's on.
At least that's what I gathered from the post.
Jazzy Phat Nastee02.24.09 - 9:25 pm
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The old Marine 1 birds entered service in either the mid 70s or late 80s and are all based on an airframe design from 1962. Maintenance costs and risk to the president increase exponentially as the aircraft age. Spending less than $15 billion on a fleet that will last approximately 30 years is hardly something that can be considered excessively wasteful spending. And for better or worse, the country gets enormous use out of those helicopters. The communications and security systems on board allow the president and his staff to be on the job 24x7, no matter where they are in the world (several helicopters arrive in advance of the president via cargo plane no matter where he goes so that he isn't dependent on local aircraft and crews to ferry him around) and keeps them all from wasting time in transportation. There are hundreds of budgetary items of far greater value that could be cancelled or delayed to far greater effect than replacing the marine 1 fleet. The order can probably be reduced to just replace the older helicopters in the fleet, but we'll spend more in the long term if we order them up piecemeal and have to maintain parts and crews to service 2 completely different helicopters over the next decade.
--sam
ideasculptor02.24.09 - 9:59 pm
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Wow I can read the New York Times from the Midnight Ridazz website, sweet!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/us/politics/24chopper.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=marine%20one&st=cse
tallcans4tallbikes02.24.09 - 10:14 pm
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If the choppers are so antiquated, why couldn't the one have crashed on inauguration that carried our dear departed President Bush away from the capitol.
0gravity02.25.09 - 9:48 am
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