[Military family member]

[xzins]

The Army does helicopters far more extensively than does the Navy. I wonder why the Navy was the decision-maker on this one?

[xm177e2]

The presidential chopper (that's a minigun underneath, it's firing is timed to the rotation of the front wheel)

[cyborg]

The title is misleading. It is a European-American built helicopter. Get it straight Reuters.

[ProudVet77]

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but why not use the MV-22 Osprey? If it's such a hot item, I'd think it would be great for the president.

[glock rocks]

Hmmm. Will the next Air Force one be an airbus?

[berkeleybeej]

Actual headline: Lockheed Team Wins Presidential Chopper

[dljordan]

I was assured yesterday by a fellow Freeper that the majority of the components will be made in America.

[seppel]

Blackhawk is bad design. So many have crashed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Something wrong with it.

[AgentEcho]

From the TEAMUS101.com site:

BUILT IN AMERICA - BY AMERICANS
Built by Bell Helicopter in Texas, integrated by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in New York, powered by GE Aircraft Engines in Massachusetts, and supplied by American companies across 41 states, the US101 platform will sustain and create hundreds of high-technology jobs to build the next presidential and combat search and rescue helicopter fleets.

The US101 also will save $2 billion in research and development costs already paid - costs the American taxpayer otherwise would have to bear.

All told, 90 percent of the program's dollar value will benefit the American economy.

[RGSpincich]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1330942/posts?page=47#47

[wideminded]

But lower cost, a larger cabin and faster delivery schedule allowed No. 1 Pentagon supplier Lockheed to prevail with its US101, based on the three-engined EH101 made by AgustaWestland Inc., a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica SpA.

"On October 10, 1989, an Agusta 109A helicopter crashed in New Jersey, killing the pilot, co-pilot, and three passengers, who were top-echelon employees of the Trump Hotel and Casino enterprises." - link

[risk]

I agree with Lieberman. I think it's naive to believe that we're ready for a purely global economy.

[Admin Moderator]

Please include original titles.
Thanks.

[Alouette]

This is my favorite European helicopter.

[bill1952]

I haven't recently looked at the financial of Loc Mart, nor their actuals, but I do know many fellow engineers in King of Prussia, Pa, that are employed in this Company.

I was not aware that there was a European component to it, but hey...

I always thought of it as American.

[glorgau]

23 U.S. presidential helicopters,

Why in the world do we need this many high end helicopters for the executive branch? Seems like a lot of taxpayer's money for ostentation.

[af_vet_1981]

The decision was a stunning setback for Connecticut-based United Technologies Corp.'s

Red States : 2
Blue States: 0

[Texas_Jarhead]

"Sikorsky had wrapped itself in the American flag to pitch its twin-engined VH-92..."

For effed up, biased "reporting" from Rooters. To hell with them.

[Smartaleck]

"Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, said the decision was "outrageously wrong" because Sikorsky had vowed to build a helicopter that was "100 pct made in America."

Wonder if he had anything to say when the US company Haliburton received gov't contracts?