US President will now ride in a Rolls-Royce, not a Cadillac

[FN FAL]

If the Navy can have airplanes, how come the Airforce can't have submarines?

You should know that one better than I jarhaid...because of "corporate culture", if the Airforce had a submarine, they would probably submerge with the screen doors on...then what would ya have?

 

[jarhead]

You should know that one better than I jarhaid...because of "corporate culture", if the Airforce had a submarine, they would probably submerge with the screen doors on...then what would ya have?

A reef?

 

[FN FAL]

And of course remember the Air Force used to be the Army's Air Force long before there was an Air Force...

C

Yea...that's the sad part about the Airforce...cars were around for fifty years before the Airforce's history began. Meanwhile, the Army, the Navy and the Navy's Army, also known as the Marines, already had the better part of one hundred and fifty years in country. Not that that's a bad thing.

Then in the middle of all this history, genetics played it's part and there were enough six footers in the country to start that bastard organization called the "Coast Guard". They had to be six foot tall to join, because if their boats sank, they had to be able to walk home...but that's another story.

 

[EagleRJ]

No, you're not being too sensitive. I worked on Sikorskys many moons ago: They are made of the right stuff. WTF happened to the CityBus (or whatever it's called) that Sikorsky certified here recently? From what I've read, it is the top dawg in the helo fleet, and is based on H60 components. What more could you want?

I think the S-92 Helobus was Sikorsky's contender for the Marine One contract. They are also marketing it for the oil rig and VIP markets. It looks like one heck of a helicopter.
The funny thing is, Agusta/Westland had to find a US defense contractor to build the EH-101 for this contract. They needed a company whose employees had 'Yankee White' security clearances (Presidential Security) that would be able to work on a Marine One replacement.

If the Navy can have airplanes, how come the Airforce can't have submarines?

That inter-service rivalry has cost the country a lot of money and several fine platforms. The Cheyenne attack helicopter comes to mind. It would have cost a lot less than the Apache, but the Air Force had it killed because it was "too fast" for the Army to fly. The A-10 nearly met the same fate just before Gulf War I.

 

[Checks]

the army used to fly the president back in the 50's...not sure what happened to change it, maybe the president starting believing those corny marine commercials.

 

[FN FAL]

A reef?

Hahahaha!

One of my dad's (dad's a retired nuke sub sailor) flying buddies is old Army dog from the Korean war era...he still gives me shiat about submariners going to sea as 100 sailors and coming home as 50 couples. That old Army dude reminds me of Capt. Bat Guano in the movie "Dr. Strangelove" and I still love having the chance to drink with that old doughboy...even if he still makes jokes about sub sailors being husband and wife.

 

[FN FAL]

the army used to fly the president back in the 50's...not sure what happened to change it, maybe the president starting believing those corny marine commercials.

Yea...that's a no brainer. Remember not too long ago when Marine recruiting commercials were like, "Dungeons and Dragons"?

What the hell was up with that?

 

[PropsForward]

BTW, does POTUS need 23 of them, or are their other customers for these 23 choppers?

Just guessing, but it may be for staging. Ya know. one in DC, one in TX, one at the airport where he will be for lunch next Tuesday...

 

[OrphicSeth]

Remember not too long ago when Marine recruiting commercials were like, "Dungeons and Dragons"?

Talk about a strange target audience. Does that mean that the Marines of today are the geeky dorks from jr. high? Are they siting around and playing "Magic" and D+D during their free time? What strange mental picture that is...

...of course now the Marines are recruiting all those hipster rock climbers.

 

[Khirsah]

If a good number of the parts for this helo are being made by people making 3 cents a month over in asia, why are we paying $150-some odd million a copy? Have we learned nothing as a nation from Wal-Mart?