Marine One

Marine One is the radio call of an aircraft of the United States Marine Corps ( USMC) who has the President of the United States of America on board. Traditionally, for example, the helicopters that fly the President, provided by the Marine Corps. It also operates fixed-wing aircraft with which he could fly.

History

The first flight of a helicopter, which carried the U.S. President in 1957 during the tenure of Dwight D. Eisenhower. For this purpose, a military H-13 Sioux ( helicopter ) was used.

The H-13 was then replaced in 1958 by an H - 34; the Sea King flew the first aircraft under the call sign Marine One in 1961. 1976 ago, the U.S. Army and the USMC shared the responsibility for the flights of the President, the USMC had to use Army One, when the president was aboard.

Helicopter

In helicopters are Sikorsky H- 3 Sea King or the newer smaller Sikorsky UH -60 Black Hawk. Both samples should soon be replaced by the VH -71 ( US101 ), this plan was canceled because of increased costs on April 6, 2009. This is a variant of the AgustaWestland EH101.

The color scheme is dark green to the upper fifth, where the helicopters are painted white. Side is in white "United States of America" ​​to read. At the main rotor is the flag of the United States, on the side wall under the pilot window is the Seal of the President.

Blueprints, plans of the flight control system and numerous design plans of Marine One are found due to the negligence of a State Department employee in various file sharing.

Use

The Marine One is selected from a fleet of 19 aircraft. For this purpose, only the squadron HMX -1 " Nighthawks " responsible. The base is the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico ( Virginia). About 800 Marines involved in the fleet of Marine One.

Marine One is always accompanied by two identical helicopters the squadron in order to fend off attacks can. All crew members and maintenance personnel of the HMX -1 must have a security check ( Yankee White security clearance ).

Once the Marine One lands on a destination, it is received by a soldier in the USMC dress uniform.

Future

2005 23 units of the pattern Lockheed Martin VH -71 were ordered based on the AgustaWestland EH101. The fleet should be fully converted by 2014, but the termination of the program in February 2009 examined at the request of the new U.S. President Barack Obama. The reasons for the public debt and massive increases of around 65 % are given to a total of about 11 billion U.S. dollars.