Photo from Lockheed website.
by Frank James
The Wall Street Journal had a very good story on the building of the new Marine One presidential helicopter by Lockheed which is going the way of so many defense contracts in Washington: the government has added to its requirements for the helicopter, essentially wanting a whirlybird version of Air Force One, but driving up costs and complexity.
As the Journal (subscription required) reported:
As soon as Lockheed won the contract, it was besieged with government requests to add features that would turn the new helicopters into the hovering equivalent of Air Force One, the presidential jumbo jet. That means taking a plush executive aircraft and outfitting it with much more electronics and communications gear that offer features from telephone handsets at each seat to bolstered defenses against a nuclear blast.
The upshot is that Lockheed is hard-pressed to meet its schedule in a program that illustrates some of the problems that persistently bog down big defense contracts. The project's first phase, which Lockheed's bid said would cost $1.8 billion, actually is costing almost $2.4 billion, the Navy says.
The Marine One saga reflects the difficulties the Pentagon often encounters when it tries to marry new technology to existing aircraft and weapons designs. David Walker, the U.S. comptroller general and head of the Congress' General Accountability Office, says the Defense Department often contracts for major projects requiring advanced technology that hasn't yet been developed or tested. It then regularly makes so many changes in demands as the projects unfold that costs multiply and delays extend to years. (Lead-integrator contracts that give defense companies sweeping responsibilities to oversee military programs are coming under fire. See article on Page A11.)'Mission Creep'
Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group, a consulting firm, calls the new Marine One project "a classic case of mission creep." With all of the added features, "It's a helicopter being devoured by its own contents," he says. He estimates the overall program cost now is approaching $7 billion, not the $6.1 billion originally thought. The Navy, which oversees the program, says it won't have an updated estimate of the total cost until later this year.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, the plan for the helicopter grew so overloaded with requests that the Navy recently conceded that the chopper must be fundamentally redesigned.
Yet the White House is still in such a hurry to get its hands on the new birds that it will take delivery of the first five in 2009, even though they will not have all of the capabilities of later versions. The first five Marine Ones will then be removed from service when redesigned models arrive in 2015."They're trying to create essentially a flying tank with every known technology to defend it," says Anthony Cordesman, a defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
Why does he need this thing?
Posted by: Cheryl | July 25, 2007 1:05 PM
With all the added gear, will it even be able to lift off the ground?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | July 25, 2007 1:44 PM
Looks like the "Guy who saved Houston from the Vietcong" is afraid that he'll get shot down by some crazy on his way to downtown Chicago. You never know when marine one is going to be attacked by nuclear weapons! Maybe he should just replace the jumbo jet, chopper, and limo with a stealth bomber, a comanche, and an abrams.
Posted by: The Decider | July 25, 2007 2:09 PM
Frank makes this seem like a bad thing and then here is Cheryl with her Loony Left question. Without saying it, Cheryl would love it if Bush was killed by terrorists in a regular helicoter, or Bush killed in any way shape or form would satisfy her, right Cheryl?
Funny, though, Frank, that the increasing cost of this helicopter troubles you. But what about the the fact the Dan Ryan reconstruction has doubled in cost? O'Hare expansion keeps adding billions to the price tag. Millenium Park, while nice, cost several hundred million more than planned.
Keeping presidents (not just this one but future ones as well) safe, secure and able to communicate is bad, though, and not worht the expense, huh?
Posted by: John D | July 25, 2007 2:24 PM
Its truely amazing that you Chicago area democrats can complain about Federal Government waste when you elect Stroger, Daley and Blago.
I guess you missed the Tribune story about Blogo commuting to Springfield by corporate jet every day.
Oh I left out Senate President Emil Jones, sponsored by ComEd
Posted by: Thomas Ryan | July 25, 2007 2:42 PM
Marine One needs to be secure, with state of the art electronic counter measure devices and extremely resistant to weapons fire. But it is asinine to make a helicopter nuclear EMP hardened.
(EMP is Electro Magnetic Pulse and is a reference to a pulse of electromagnetic energy that can burn solid state circuitry. This was inadvertenly discovered when we conducted above ground nuclear tests. Air Force One is hardened. The old Strategic Air Command EC-135s and newer models are hardened but is riduculous to harden Marine One for no longer than the president is in that rotary wing aircraft.)
Posted by: Doug Zook | July 25, 2007 2:47 PM
While I don't like Bush's politics, I would not want to see him die (kicked out of office yes). I approve of the pimped out chopper and I am the decider. He'd better get spongebob and a tapper in the chopper for that $$ though!
Posted by: The Decider | July 25, 2007 2:50 PM
John, I'm not one of those hard core neocons like that guy over on Bill O'Reilly's blog who is threatening Hillary Clinton's life. I do not want George Bush dead. I want him arrested and tried for war crimes. If he's found guilty, I want him in jail for the rest of his life.
But not dead.
Posted by: Cheryl | July 25, 2007 3:40 PM
Why does he need this thing?
Posted by: Cheryl | July 25, 2007 1:05 PM
Without saying it, Cheryl would love it if Bush was killed by terrorists in a regular helicoter, or Bush killed in any way shape or form would satisfy her, right Cheryl?
Posted by: John D | July 25, 2007 2:24 PM
John, no wonder you are so angry and confused all the time. How does Cheryl's legit question morph into her wishing for Bush'e death? And you question the comprehension skills of others. I hope I never need you to be an eye witness for anything. Sheesh!
Posted by: Catherine | July 25, 2007 3:47 PM
Why must all the loonies think any response has something to do with Shrub. Read the whole article and you will find that delivery will not take place until 2009. The only ride Bush might get on it is the day he moves back to Texas.
Posted by: Chuck E. G. | July 25, 2007 4:25 PM
Thank you, Chuck.
Catherine, you need to relax.
Cheryl, please provide some proof that someone on Bill O'Reilly's blog is threatening Hillary's life, OK?
Posted by: John D | July 25, 2007 4:56 PM
John D:
Cheryl meant Michelle Malkin, not Bill O'Reilly:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?last_story=/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/25/malkin/
Posted by: BC | July 25, 2007 6:05 PM
Chuck, this story is about Shrub because the contract was awarded in 2005 - and Shrub was the president.
From the WSJ story:
"But adding all the bells and whistles has added cost and complication to the prestigious $6.1 billion contract that Lockheed Martin Corp. landed in 2005."
Whose administration is packing the thing with so much junk that 10 helicopters will cost $7 billion dollars (so far)?
Posted by: BC | July 25, 2007 6:09 PM
From the looks of it, a carefully aimed and very large can of Raid could do some serious damage.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | July 25, 2007 6:13 PM
BC, I was writing about the loonies on the other side that are so brainwashed they believe any critism is unpatriotic treason.
It is worth it if all this extra expense saves the lives of the Marine pilots. It's bad enough mud Marines are dying 300 miles from the sea. I don't want to see them die for any president to take a joy ride.
Semper Fi!
Posted by: ChuckEG | July 25, 2007 6:36 PM
John D,
You know what pilots say about helicopters; There are those that have crashed and those that will crash.
It's a fact, buddy.
John D; Were you one of those guys dancing in aisles when JFK got smoked?
(Disclaimer; I didn't mean that. It was crass and unfair; uncalled for and untrue. I was simply demonstrating John D's debate methods.)
Posted by: C.Morris | July 25, 2007 7:56 PM
Folks, I think you may have missed one thing. Marine One won't be available until the next President. Mr. Bush is accomodating his successor, rather than himself.
Posted by: huberwl | July 25, 2007 8:48 PM
BC, those links really prove nothing. All they do is link to other left wing blogs. I love the one guy who reported someone to the Secret Service. Gee, there have been lots of comments here (such as John E.'s, "Will someone please shoot Cheney in the face.")
The guy they keep quoting appears to be a nut, but never actually threatens Hillary.
Whether O'Reilly, Michelle Malkin, even the Tribune here they do try and NOT post certain things but do miss some (gee, now I'm going to defend the Swamp censors???). Usually if notified of a comment like this they will take it off. Though the Swamp censors never did remove John E., shoot Cheney in the face order, despite being notified of it.
Posted by: John D | July 25, 2007 8:59 PM
this makes more sense than Pelosi'd jet.
Posted by: Terry | July 25, 2007 9:40 PM
Kinda funny that the right now decides we need to spend this kind of money. When Pelosi (3rd in line to prez)wanted better transportation, they came out of the closet (pun intended) to smear it. Now?
Posted by: bill r. | July 26, 2007 7:28 AM
Usually if notified of a comment like this they will take it off. Though the Swamp censors never did remove John E., shoot Cheney in the face order, despite being notified of it.
Posted by: John D | July 25, 2007 8:59 PM
Johnny Torture, they never removed any of your threats against the Democratic leadership either, so what's your complaint?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 26, 2007 9:58 AM
Let's elect a good president, a good vise president and a good speaker, that way we only need a good helicopter.
Posted by: GARY UNDERWOOD | July 21, 2008 8:43 PM