Canceling Marine One? Perhaps NotMarch 18, 2009
A group of House lawmakers is urging President Obama to buy a less sophisticated (and cheaper) presidential helicopter rather than outright canceling the program for the proposed and controversial replacement for Marine One. Thirteen lawmakers warned the president in a letter that canceling the new Marine One helicopter program would be "the least responsible alternative both for the safety of your office and the investment of the American taxpayers," according to an article in TheHill.com. The proposed program to build a high-tech helicopter for the president has been hampered by cost overruns, leading President Obama to cite it as an example of "the procurement process gone amok." Lockheed Martin and partner AgustaWestland, a British-Italian joint venture, have in response suggested a slimmed down version of the new helicopter to control costs, TheHill.com reported in another article. The contractors suggest building a larger fleet, but with each aircraft having fewer features. The program was originally budgeted for $6.1 billion but is now projected at $13 billion. The contractors planned to build two versions: a simpler version delivered first and a more advanced model to be delivered later, according to TheHill.com. Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), the chairman of the Appropriations Defense sub-panel, favors the simpler model. Military observers agree that the current fleet, which went into duty 40 years ago, is approaching the end of its life cycle and must be replaced over the next decade. |
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