Trouble On The Takeoff

@zopa..
Although Lockheed-Martin is one of the biggest and most experience defence contractors in the US, they are definitely not experienced with rotary aircraft. ther us-101 which is used for the vh-71 is one of the first aircraft being integrated at Owego. LM didn't know what they were getting into and they were definitely not the most qualified for this contract. It was not offering the best helicopter as reported widely across the media and now it won't even meet the requirements. The award was more politically driven than it was for its technical merit.

@zopa..
Although Lockheed-Martin is one of the biggest and most experience defence contractors in the US, they are definitely not experienced with rotary aircraft. ther us-101 which is used for the vh-71 is one of the first aircraft being integrated at Owego. LM didn't know what they were getting into and they were definitely not the most qualified for this contract. It was not offering the best helicopter as reported widely across the media and now it won't even meet the requirements. The award was more politically driven than it was for its technical merit.

Remember the Nixon years and the Imperial presidency? Bush makes Nixon look like a piker in his lust for dictorial powers and perks. And the open checkbook treatment of the pentagon's contractors has made them lazy and incompetent and even more corrupt. End of days for the Empire.

The new helicopters were always slated for delivery in late 2009, *after* Bush leaves office. Neither he nor Dick Cheney will get to fly in them; only the next president will. So comments like "I thought this was a brave war President" just prove how ignorant some of the people on this message board are.

And the helicopter is not actually made by Lockheed-Martin, it's made by AgustaWestland in Europe. Lockheed-Martin is just the project's American partner, in charge of taking the basic airframe and fitting it with American components. Furthermore, considering that it's one of the biggest and most experienced defence companies in the US, why should it not have won the contract? It was offering the best helicopter in the competition.

Honestly, if this is representative of the calibre of Newsweek's readers, I fear for the future of the magazine.

Dick Cheney stil still steers money to his cronies at Halliburton and Lockheed-Martin.

Gee, does anyone else find it awfully strange that Lockheed-Martin would get a contract for a new bird for Bush? Mrs. Darth Cheney used to sit on the board. And like Mr. Darth Cheney (Halliburton no bid contracts) is making money hand over fist off of the blood of Americans. War profiteering used to be illegal. But not for this group. They don't care how many Americans they kill as long as the money comes in.

A helicopter is not a cross country aircraft. Nix that executive crapper, carry only mission-critical personnel, and fly low and fast to load onto Air Force One. Now that has a proper bathroom, and all the bells and whistles a War President could ever want.

A helicopter is not a cross country aircraft. Nix that executive crapper, carry only mission-critical personnel, and fly low and fast to load onto Air Force One. Now that has a proper bathroom, and all the bells and whistles a War President could ever want.

Sounds like the $$$$million-dollar pop-up toaster all over again. How much has this Warfare State project cost to date ?

Seriously? Are you expecting Government Intelligence to think outside the cockpit?
Why not open this up as a design contest.
Hell, even I can figure out that their is probably 200 lbs. extra weight in the executive bathroom alone that could be flushed.

Seriously. You expect government officials and employees to think outside the cockpit?
Open it up to the public for ideas on the redesign.
Hell even I can figure out that there is probably 200 lbs extra in the bathroom alone.
taziesmer

Seriously. You expect government officials and employees to think outside the cockpit?
Open it up to the public for ideas on the redesign.
Hell even I can figure out that there is probably 200 lbs extra in the bathroom alone.
taziesmer

might as well design a TRANSFORMER helicopter

Eh, why kills what works?