European Helicopter contract for U.S Marine One

[FUNKED1]

Unbef***kinglievable.

[Otto]

As long as the process was 'fair' and we got the 'best for the Buck' I'm not complaining...

I never want US companies 'protected' in World Trade.  The rules need to be the same for everyone and we need to compeat.  

But, I mean, "The rules have to be the same for everyone"

[cpxxx]

Considering who the current administration is and the likely reaction to a 'European' win on this contract.  It seems to me that if they decided to buy US101 then it probably was the best choice.  

It would have been so much easier to pick Sikorsky, politically speaking.  

Obviously the President and the US taxpayer is getting the best deal.

[Vulcan]

Originally posted by CMC Airboss
European Helicopter contract for U.S Marine One

From Inside the Navy, Vol. 18, No. 4, January 31, 2005


Wow.  This "value" puts the price of each helicopter at $265 million.  That happens to be the list price for a new Airbus 380.  Thats $30 million(!) more per aircraft than a KC-767A Tanker which was slandered as the biggest boondoggle in US military aquisition history by Senator McCain. (ref: program cost of $23 billion for 100 KC-767's).  You could also purchase more than two and a half F-22 Raptors for the cost of one new presidential helicopter.  Thats kind of pricey for a helicopter that can be purchased for $27m apiece on the civilian market (EH-101).

Cost plus?  That means "bill us, take your profits, and charge us for any cost overuns." This is a European helicopter designed by AgustaWestland, who will share in the profits with Lockheed.  Two sets of profits and nearly guaranteed cost overruns?  Where is the outrage from Senator McCain?  Where are the calls for scandal and corruption?  

MiG

Kinda looks like a Soviet Mil to me...

[rpm]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Pentagon announced that Team US101 has won the U.S. Navy's $1.6 billion contract to build a new fleet of presidential helicopters. "We are extremely pleased that, in this case, quality and price overcame politics based on false patriotism," said Todd M. Malan, Executive Director of the Organization for International Investment.

Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor and systems integrator. The US101 is based on the design of AgustaWestland's proven EH101 helicopter. The US101 will be built in Amarillo, Texas, by Bell Helicopter. The Team has more than 200 American subcontractors in 41 states. Systems integration will take place at a $30 million, 176,000-square-foot plant to be built on Lockheed Martin's Owego campus. In the end, 90 percent of the contract's value will flow to companies in the United States.

U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies insource 5.4 million American jobs, supporting an annual payroll of over $307 billion. "These new 'insourced' jobs represent one way that the United States benefits from the global economy, a world-class helicopter for the President is another," Malan stated.

"Americans don't care where a company is headquartered; they care where the jobs are, and the US101 is going to be made in the United States," concluded Malan.

Those who would raise the national-security issue to derail the contract face some powerful opponents, including Republican Reps. Sherwood Boehlert, the chairman of the House Science Committee, and Tom Reynolds, who runs the House Republican Campaign Committee, and the Texas congressional delegation, all of whom are quite happy to see jobs in their states created as a result of the contract going to Lockheed Martin.

Don't forget the Texas delegation is mostly Republican thanks to redistricting. What part of "built in Texas" do you not understand? No way there was political influence.

[Staga]

RPM you must be wrong...

Heh maybe that helo costs that much because it's made in Texas US ?

[Gixer]

Originally posted by Finrod
Just not an American president

Well said


...-Gixer

[Saintaw]

Is this an Agusta? Oh boy... if it is, you're in trouble. years and years of scandals over this one over here...

[Gixer]

Just been reading a bit more about this and I'm quite suprised if they do go European given the US Helo industry makes some of the best (and for a very long time) helicopters in the world. And luckly I've been privaleged to fly a few.

Strange that they should go European and pay for the development and costs of a new model when they already have the excellent Sikorsky S-92 and H-92 Military which could easily keep all the military toys and extra grunt just add some plush furniture and fittings. Or up spec the S-92 to what ever they need.

Europeans build great helicopters to, but I can't see how they the decision to go that way can be because it's better then anything available in the US.

http://www.sikorsky.com/details/0,3036,CLI1_DIV69_ETI890,00.html


...-Gixer

[CMC Airboss]

Interesting reading on the Agusta Scandal.

Mr Claes is one of 12 accused facing corruption charges related to a defence contract.

Prosecutors say about $1m was passed from Italian helicopter-maker Agusta to the Flemish and French speaking socialist parties of Belgium.

Di Rupo denies any offer came through him.
In return, Agusta won a contract to provide the Belgian Army with forty-six helicopters.

The Agusta affair, as it is known, has ensnared some of the country's most senior politicians in a scandal which has rumbled on throughout the 1990s.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/158475.stm

Corruption, bribes, mafia-style hits  - Oh my, Agusta plays for keeps!  

MiG

[Pongo]

If your like canada..
you will pay half the money and then cancel the contract because a Democrat gets in power. Then 5 years later you will pay twice the original cost for half as good an aircraft.

but 6.3 billion seems like alot for 23 choppers.

[Wolfala]

Thats the point Pongo. Hell a UH-60 with an exec kit doens't run you past 50 million - and thats with all the CM packages. 225 mil - something is really wrong. I don't care if its a domestic program or international consortium.

[rpm]

UH-60's are not built in Texas.