Miloch <Miloch_member@newsguy.com> wrote in
news:psvt46024pb@drn.newsguy.com:
> http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/25004/exclusive-first-images-of-ne
> w-vh-92-marine-one-helo-in-full-colors-landing-on-white-house-lawn
>
> We have the first images of not only a Sikorsky VH-92 Marine One
> replacement helicopter in its full 'White Top' presidential airlift
> colors, but also of that helicopter landing on the South Lawn of the
> White House. Although the Marine aviators of HMX-1 who fly the
> President around make landing at the White House look easy, it is not,
> with Marine One crews having to avoid a number of obstacles and touch
> down on exact markers placed on the lawn during a wide range of
> conditions and usually while being watched by throngs of onlookers and
> the global media.
>
> The operation not only serves the President, their closest aides, and
> their family for daily travel needs, but it is also a key component of
> so-called Continuity Of Government contingency plans. During a crisis,
> Marine One helicopters would quickly make the jaunt from their forward
> staging point at Naval Support Facility Anacostia to the White House
> where they would scoop up the President and move them to safety at any
> of a number of pre-planned undisclosed and hardened locations.
>
> ----
>
> In all, 23 VH-92s will replace the current fleet of 11 VH-3Ds and 8
> VH-60Ns, 21 of which will fly the President around and follow him or
> her nearly anywhere they go across the nation and abroad (yes, a pair
> of 'White Tops' are airlifted everywhere the President goes even if
> they are not used as primary transportation) or support HMX-1's
> training needs. The two remaining helicopters will stay a NAS Patuxent
> River and will be used for ongoing developmental initiatives. The
> VH-92 is slated to reach initial operating capability in 2019 and
> fully replace the existing White Tops by 2023.
Can it fly in the rain? The current president's
current helicopter seems to have trouble with that.
http://tinyurl.com/y89vajqk
http://tinyurl.com/ybeuatfe
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