And you thought Mbeki spent a lot on presidential ac!

[AtlanticWatch]

How about this?

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Lockheed Martin wins US Presidential Helicopter contest

By Joshua Kucera JDW Staff Reporter
Washington DC

A team led by Lockheed Martin has won the competition to build the next helicopter for the US president, defeating a Sikorsky-led bid for the $6.1 billion deal.

The Lockheed Martin team offered the US101, based on the European-made AgustaWestland EH101. Although both the governments of Italy and the UK lobbied for the US101 and Sikorsky emphasised its all-American roots, pressure from neither side was a factor in the decision, said John Young, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.

The US101’s foreign provenance “was really not a factor,” he said. “There are no political interests in this.” Young said that the US101’s size was one of the deciding factors since it would allow more space in the cabin than the VH-92, Sikorsky’s proposal. He also said the EH101 was closer to the desired requirements than was the S-92, the basis for the VH-92, making the US101 cheaper to develop.

The contract, announced 28 January, was for $1.7 billion to cover the initial installment of system design and development. The first helicopters will be delivered in 2009 and the entire fleet of 23 aircraft will be delivered by late 2014, Lockheed Martin said in a statement.


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Lets see, thats 23 helicopters at $6.1b, that comes to...$265m each. Nice. More than an A380. :8

How about that $1.7b design and development price tag. Excuse my ignorance, but is this not just an adaptation of an existing helicopter?
:confused:

Help me understand why they need 23?:confused:

Hey, I just want to poke fun at the Americans, on a Saturday morning.:ok:

[126,7]

Help me understand why they need 23?
I'm guessing that they place them al over that big country of theirs so that the prez has one when pitches up somewhere.
Or maybe they keep a whole bunch in reserve and fly them all at once to fool would be assassins!!!

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Fine when they can afford it. To spend the kind of money spent on the presidential jet when we recieve a daily bombardment on the news of how people are rioting because they live in shacks is another thing entirely. I think it's called rampant greed and corruption...:(

[B Sousa]

Yes, the Americans waste money. but its all to defend against the SA Navy, Corvettes, Submarines etc...Now theres a needed cause in SA.
I saw an Article on some Admiral you guys now have, her resume included "Freedom Fighter". No doubt she commanded some Canoes on the Limpopo.......

[wheels up]

"Fine when they can afford it. To spend the kind of money spent on the presidential jet when we recieve a daily bombardment on the news of how people are rioting because they live in shacks is another thing entirely"

Can they? Plenty of people in the States live in abject poverty. Places like Detroit and Washington spring to mind.

[contraxdog]

If you want to read about the American Imperialist expantion, and how they can waste money, Try and get yourself the book written by American historian, Chalmers Johnson,
The Sorrows of Empire(Militarism, secrecy,and the end of the republic).
It will show that African leaders dont have a clue how to waste money.

"this books is a guide to the American empire as it begins openly to spread its imperial wings.It reach is global: as of September 2001 the Department of Defence acknoledges at least 725 American military bases exist outside the United States.....more than a half a million American troops station in these bases....."
"... the UN recognises 188 counties in the world, DOD acknowledges that there are US Military bases in 135 of these countries...."

Read it it make me scared. I dont want to eat Macdonalds!

Its is Published by VERSO in NY and LONDON

[B Sousa]

Wheels Up

Fill in the Blanks. Detroit and Washington D.C. are primarily populated by what group________________??

[126,7]

A prez needs an aircraft. Its just like that. And Tbone is a relatively important figure on the African continent and the world stage. At the World Economic Forum, he was first to see the Swiss president and Schröder of Germany had to wait his turn. Saw him on TV reading the newspaper waiting for Tbone to finish his meeting.

Time is of the essence and a prez usually doesn't have too much time to waste, hence the private jet. Some might argue that a G4 would have been cheaper than a BBJ, but then you have to consider prestige.........
Its all for the greater good of the nation! Tbone flies somewhere in a rush and hopefully secures investment in the SA economy :-)

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Riiigghhhtttt.........

Any truth to the rumour that the bed in the BBJ is necessary for His Supreme Highness to recover from, let's say *ahem*, a certain fondness for the grape? :}

Some interesting stories abound, among them, an eight hour wait on the apron in Singapore to avoid those noisy crickets who stamp around in army boots.:E :ok: