The President's New Helicopter

By Jonathon Keats

After decades of upgrades to a fleet of notoriously cramped Sikorsky VH-3 Sea Kings, the White House has tasked Lockheed Martin with a dramatic, $6.1-billion makeover of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, starting this summer. The goal: to fit a mobile Oval Office into the tight quarters of a chopper. The new fleet will consist of 23 VH-71 aircraft, each of which will have 200 square feet of cabin space, nearly double the Sea King’s 116.

Aside from the legroom, the copter will incorporate major upgrades to the old defense and communications systems. Equally important is that the aircraft is flight-proven—the $110-million bird is derived from a European-built AgustaWestland EH101, currently doing military service for Canada and the U.K. Here, an inside look at the revamped Marine One, set to gradually go into service between 2009 and 2014.

Fuselage: Made of high-strength reinforced aluminum alloy, it can withstand crash impacts in excess of 15 Gs.

Engine: The VH-71 can shift from three 3,000-horsepower turboshaft engines to two, whereas the twin-engine Sea King must land if one engine fails.

Rotor: Five flared rotor blades increase the craft’s efficiency by up to 30 percent over conventional designs when flying at 150-knot cruising speed.

Defense System: The VH-71s, like the EH101s they are modeled on, will probably feature radar-warning receiv-ers, laser detectors and flare dispensers to deflect anti-aircraft missiles.

Cabin: Measuring eight feet wide and 25 feet long, the cabin will include a lavatory and a galley kitchen. The fold-down stair spares the president from ducking during photogenic entrances and exits.

Communications: More room for communications hardware means the president will have secure and continuous access to all White House and Pentagon computer systems and data streams.

http://www.livescience.com/technology/060507_marine_one.html

if they had a pimp my helicopter show this would be on it.

$6.1 billion for a new helicopter when so many people are desperate just to get a job that pays rent?

Give me $6.1 billion and I'll get him his new helicopter and have enough left over to make sure kids don't have to use 40 year old science textbooks in high school like I did. And I'll probably still have enough to go out and get a burger.

At least Bush won't get to use it. "Oh no! I'm cramped! I don't have enough legroom!"

Let's put him in a Geo Metro hatchback every day, then spend three times a year on a 2,200 mile round trip and see what he thinks about legroom then!

Not that this is a politics thread or anything, but I'm fascinated that so much could be spent on upgrading a helicopter. I can't wait to see what else is added to the Presidential fleet. I'm hoping for one of those time-travelling bubble looking things that always showed up in Superman comics.

That seems a tad extreme for a helicopter; I mean really is it necessary to spend 6 BILLION dollars for a chopper? Bush seems to be spending billions upon billions without regard to the needs of the country.

I can't wait to see this guy go away. I can only hope that someday there will be a government that spends money like they spend their own cash instead of treating taxpayers hard earned cash like some kind of blank check.

LOL!

Well it is for a fleet of 23 new helicoptors which must all be properly outfitted for his purposes although he wont be there to enjoy them as the first of said fleet wont be introduced until 2009. It still does seem like an excessive amount of money though.

Oh, I read that as part of the helicopter's model. Why do they need 23 helicopters?

They could always get 23 F15s. That's only $690,000,000. For $6.1 billion, you can get 203 F15s. (Prices reflect 1998 cost).

You think he'd let me have one?