Sikorsky Chosen To Build The Newest Fleet Of U.S. Presidential Helicopters

Marine One-to-be: An artist's rendering shows what Sikorsky's proposed 'VXX' presidential helicopter might look like

Obama To Spend $20BILLION On Helicopter Program To Replace His Private Fleet Of 23 Choppers - But They Won't Be Ready Until 2022 -- Daily Mail

* 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'

The Department of Defense awarded a contract on Wednesday to a Connecticut company that will build a fleet of helicopters to replace the Marine One fleet that ferries U.S. presidents short distances.

The contract, given to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, will cost an initial $1,244,677,064 'for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the Presidential Helicopter Replacement program.' For that price the U.S. Navy will get six test aircraft and all the necessary research & development.

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More News On Sikorsky Being Chosen To Build The Newest Fleet Of U.S. Presidential Helicopters

Sikorsky Wins $1.24 Billion Marine One Deal -- DoD Buzz
Sikorsky wins $1.24 billion deal for new Marine One helicopters -- Stars and Stripes/Hartford Courant
Sikorsky wins U.S. Navy deal for president's Marine One helicopters -- Reuters
Sikorsky Wins U.S. Navy Contract to Replace 'Marine One' Helicopter Fleet -- Wall Street Journal
Sikorsky wins $1.2 billion contract to build Marine One helicopters -- Washington Post
Sikorsky chosen for new fleet of presidential helicopters -- UPI
A Cheaper Marine One Still Not Exactly a Frugal Ride -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Sikorsky to Build Presidential Helicopter Fleet -- NBC
The New Marine Chopper Can Swallow Humongous Loads -- Jalopnik