3rdnlng Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 (edited) http://www.dailymail...ready-2022.html Obama administration to spend $20 BILLION on helicopter program to replace his private fleet of 23 choppers – but they won't be ready until 2022 The tab for a new helicopter fleet will likely top $20 billion, including $3 billion spent between 2005 and 2009 on a program that was later canceled The new contract will buy 23 SIkorsky helicopters at an estimated cost of $400 million each – about the cost of the Air Force One 747 jet Duplicate choppers fly as decoys whenever a president takes off from the South Lawn; others are flown to Obama's travel destinations in advance Just one company bid on the project, raising questions about whether the Navy got a fair price A former senior Pentagon official said for the price, the new aircraft should have a 'solid gold toilet ... except that it would add too much weight' Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz31Mnkkjr5 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook Edited May 11, 2014 by 3rdnlng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 http://www.dailymail...ready-2022.html Obama administration to spend $20 BILLION on helicopter program to replace his private fleet of 23 choppers – but they won't be ready until 2022 The tab for a new helicopter fleet will likely top $20 billion, including $3 billion spent between 2005 and 2009 on a program that was later canceled The new contract will buy 23 SIkorsky helicopters at an estimated cost of $400 million each – about the cost of the Air Force One 747 jet Duplicate choppers fly as decoys whenever a president takes off from the South Lawn; others are flown to Obama's travel destinations in advance Just one company bid on the project, raising questions about whether the Navy got a fair price A former senior Pentagon official said for the price, the new aircraft should have a 'solid gold toilet ... except that it would add too much weight' Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz31Mnkkjr5 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook That program's been going on for ten years...it's hardly the Obama administration's fault. They are the ones, though, that cancelled the original $13B program because it was to expensive - $13B for 28 helos. Nine of which were delivered, and sold to Canada for spare parts for $164M. Your government at "work." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdnlng Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 That program's been going on for ten years...it's hardly the Obama administration's fault. They are the ones, though, that cancelled the original $13B program because it was to expensive - $13B for 28 helos. Nine of which were delivered, and sold to Canada for spare parts for $164M. Your government at "work." I don't blame just Obama here, it's the governments fault. I wonder what's wrong with the old helicopters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCinBuffalo Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I don't blame just Obama here, it's the governments fault. I wonder what's wrong with the old helicopters? Helicopters are notorious for breaking down, are expensive/maintenance problem children, and apparently it's hard to keep their working parts clean. Seems to make sense, with so much air moving around in different directions. I really don't know why somebody can't come up with a better design, but, in the meantime, it seems like things being difficult to maintain is inherent no matter what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Large Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 400 million per unit. That sounds ridiculously expensive. 40 Million sounds expensive. What exactly does this 400 million dollar machine do that is so special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCinBuffalo Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 (edited) 400 million per unit. That sounds ridiculously expensive. 40 Million sounds expensive. What exactly does this 400 million dollar machine do that is so special. Avoid traffic? And why not? These people don't have time for traffic anyhow. And, you'll notice, we aren't talking about the POTUS's ride here: that's Marine 1. We are talking about the 23 choppers everybody else in the administration "require". You can make a security/time argument for the POTUS having a chopper...but the Secretary of Labor? Get em a limo. Edited May 11, 2014 by OCinBuffalo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koko78 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 400 million per unit. That sounds ridiculously expensive. 40 Million sounds expensive. What exactly does this 400 million dollar machine do that is so special. I would guess a lot of the cost is security-related. Secure communication lines, counter measures if the helicopter is attacked by small arms, missiles or RPGs; waste, graft and corruption, etc. That or solid gold toilets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 400 million per unit. That sounds ridiculously expensive. 40 Million sounds expensive. What exactly does this 400 million dollar machine do that is so special. The base helo is the S-92, and runs $30M. The extra $370M is for things like data encryption, video conferencing, sound suppression (so you can have your video conferencing) SAM defense, wall-to-wall carpeting, bucket seats...actually, most of the cost probably relates to a program structure where the Navy thinks they have to redesign and retest the entire helicopter from scratch, rather than just retrofit a luxury suite, defensive measures, and secure comms into a COTS airframe. I don't blame just Obama here, it's the governments fault. I wonder what's wrong with the old helicopters? They're ancient. Sea King variants that are a vintage '60s design, and pushing 40 years operational service. As far as I know, every other Sea King has been retired in US service, the VH-3 fleet are the only ones remaining. All that combines to make them maintenance nightmares (imagine how much the government has to pay Sikorsky just for parts for 8 ancient helicopters.) They are desperately in need of replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts