Posted on 01/28/2005 3:10:45 PM PST by Cornpone
The Department of Defense announced today that the team led by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, N.Y., has been selected to build the new presidential helicopter (VXX) based on its U.S. 101 medium lift helicopter.
This $1.7 billion, cost plus award fee contract will launch the VXX program’s system development and demonstration phase during which the program will integrate a “system of systems” with a modern, in-production aircraft to provide the president with safe and reliable helicopter transportation.
“Today’s announcement is a significant milestone that caps an exhaustive and deliberative source selection process that carefully followed the Federal Acquisition Regulations,” said John Young, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. “The determined effort, long hours and hard work by both the VXX government team and the two industry teams will ensure a high level of quality and safety for future presidents, as well as a timely, efficient and effective program execution.”
“This decision truly reflects the best value and capability for the American taxpayer who is funding it, the Marines who will operate it and the future presidents who will fly in it,” Young added.
The fleet of helicopters that currently supports the presidential mission includes 30-year old aircraft that were designed in the 1960’s, fielded in the 1970’s and no longer has the growth capability to incorporate the equipment necessary to provide suitable presidential support in the post 9-11 environment.
“Under this replacement program, with its technology and performance improvements, a single platform will provide better savings in total ownership costs, engineering, maintenance and logistical support over the lifetime of the program,” Young said. “The president needs a more survivable helicopter while the nation engages in the Global War on Terrorism, and we are committed to providing it as soon as possible.”
The original Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program of record proposed an initial operating capability in 2013. The VXX program was accelerated in 2003 with a currently planned IOC in fiscal year 2009.
For more information, please contact Navy Public Affairs at (703) 697-5342.
Yup. Hell hath no fury like a Senator whose state didn't get a big defense contract.Yup... and Hell hath no fury like Americans realizing we have outsourced even THIS!
You Free Traitors will be taken down one way or another.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Geesh, not good news for Connecticut...
No, not good news at all, Sikorsky is not doing well, or at least not as well as they used to
but what irks me is the FOREIGN design!
I could care less about Bell assembling the thing, what ever happened to using AMERICAN stuff for AMERICANS?
1.7 Billion has to be for the PROGRAM, not he bird, that thing couldn't cost more than 30 Million fully equiped, even the SH-2G with all the bells and whistels (Maverick Missile, dipping SONAR/ALQ Jammers ) was less than that!
$1.7 billion for a heliocopter? That's nuts!!
$1.7 billion for a heliocopter? That's nuts!!
$1.7 billion is for the fleet of 24 helicopters.
It's a myth that the US does not operate foreign designs. Check out the USCG with its French and Italian built helicopters.
Why? The design is sound. Both Italy and the UK have been gallant allies on the war on terrorism.
Not real. The image is a photo-shop.
Why does the President need 24 heliocopters?
The Prez needs 24 choppers because he travels all over the world and helicopters don't have the speed and range to move all around the globe following the Prez. The Marines probably base two in Europe, one in Asia, and the rest in several bases scattered throughout the U.S. Because the choppers have to be 100% reliable mechancially, we also have to have a few spare choppers to swap in with a helicopter that's in the shop for maintenance. The $1.7 billion is the price for the entire program over a number of years including spare parts, maintenance, fuel, and Subway sandwiches on demand for the crew.
Now it's making more sense. Thanks for the info. I had always thought that when the President went abroad he would use whatever military transportation was available in the vicinity for shuttle trips.
out of all the aircraft flown by the US military, name a 3rd one that is foreign.
I screamed about the Dauphin then, too, I worked for KAMAN for 11 years!
Marines do NOT have bases in Europe.
HMX-1 helos are flown around the world in C-5 aircraft if the flight is too long for the range, even flown across the country here to California, even flown up to Connecticut from DC, I have seen the C-5 up here.
That squadron also flies arounf dignitaries and senators and soem Congress-critters.
Can you trust a Defense Dept. that doesn't mention that this will be a foreign-made chopper, with Italy and England in charge of the project? That is really rotten!
On second thought, it would be too much of a security risk to keep Presidential choppers overseas. The Secret Service would never allow that. But I would bet there are at least two HMX-1 choppers capable of carrying the Prez that are based on the West Cost (possibly at Camp Pendleton). It's just too much effort and expense to transport those helos across country for every trip where the Prez needs one. I'm sure most of them are basd back East at Quantico and Camp Lejune, but there's probably one Presidential chopper and a spare out on the West Coast. I'll bet you a beer...but I don't know if either of us can verify this.
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