Obama: Marine One helicopters under review

[unhappycamper]

President Barack Obama said the cost overruns in the building of Marine One helicopters "is an example of the procurement process gone amok, and we're going to have to fix it.”


Obama: Marine One helicopters under review
By Donna Borak - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Feb 24, 2009 13:39:54 EST

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he’s perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn’t need a more costly one.

At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain.

McCain bemoaned cost overruns in military procurement. The new fleet of 28 Marine One helicopters being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. — now over budget at $11.2 billion — will cost more than Air Force One.

Obama said the helicopter he has now seems adequate, adding that he never had a helicopter before and “maybe I’ve been deprived and I didn’t know it.”

Obama said he has already talked to Defense Secretary Robert Gates about reviewing the program and its ballooning costs.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_marine_one_obama_022309/%2e