Also multiplied by however large the fleet of helicopters that serve "Marine One" duty might be.
I have a relative who was* a pilot in HMX-1 (the USMC parlance for the helicopter squadron that, in part, flies Marine One). At least back then, there's three birds active at a time: the VIP, the backup, and the "parts truck". They're all the same model of aircraft: whatever is good enough to truck around spare parts is good enough to truck around VIPs. Newbies fly the parts truck, and ultimately, graduate to the big bird, before rotating out to the advanced planning team (for those missions that aren't between the South Lawn and Andrews AFB). Of course, at the point when you've been chosen to join HMX-1, your logbook is already thick, so "newbie" is a relative term.
I'd bet whatever's changed in C3 needs, $11B would go a long way to refitting a solid dozen Sea Kings (the current helo) to current standards. And really, if that's not already been done, why is everyone in a kerfluffle about Obama's Blackberry?
*It's a short-term gig: you do it for a couple years, then rotate back into the regular forces.
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momijizukamori
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Date: 2009-02-24 04:44 am (UTC)I have a relative who was* a pilot in HMX-1 (the USMC parlance for the helicopter squadron that, in part, flies Marine One). At least back then, there's three birds active at a time: the VIP, the backup, and the "parts truck". They're all the same model of aircraft: whatever is good enough to truck around spare parts is good enough to truck around VIPs.
Newbies fly the parts truck, and ultimately, graduate to the big bird, before rotating out to the advanced planning team (for those missions that aren't between the South Lawn and Andrews AFB). Of course, at the point when you've been chosen to join HMX-1, your logbook is already thick, so "newbie" is a relative term.
I'd bet whatever's changed in C3 needs, $11B would go a long way to refitting a solid dozen Sea Kings (the current helo) to current standards. And really, if that's not already been done, why is everyone in a kerfluffle about Obama's Blackberry?
*It's a short-term gig: you do it for a couple years, then rotate back into the regular forces.