Obama takes aim at the new Marine One

US president, and commander-in-chief, Barack Obama lashed out at a costly programme designed to replace the existing fleet of presidential helicopters with a high tech fleet, in a meeting with Congressional lawmakers. The new Marine One programme, whose costs have doubled their budgeted estimates, was described by the US commander-in-chief as an example of military procurement "gone amok."

The White House helicopter fleet is designated Marine One, even as the fixed wing fleet is described as Air Force One. These are the designated air traffic control call signs of aircraft which carry the American president around the country and abroad.

Though Obama did not rule out completing the programme, the costs of which have ballooned to $11.2 billion, he revealed that defence secretary Robert Gates had been asked to conduct a ''thorough review of the helicopter situation.''

The Marine One programme is being implemented by defence contractors Lockheed Martin and is now being looked upon as an example of how the overall defence procurement programme, under the previous administration, has spun out of control in terms of costs.

According to a US Congress watchdog body, the Government Accountability Office, defence contractors have experienced huge cost escalations –adding up to $300 billion on 95 of the largest military programmes, without being substantially penalized.

Under the new Marine One programme billions of dollars have been already been spent in trying to develop a fleet of high tech VH-71 helicopters, which will eventually replace the iconic Sikorsky Marine One helicopters. These have been in service for nearly 25 years.

The new rotary craft have experienced weight problems and also await installation of sophisticated electronic gear, which are yet to be developed. The Pentagon has now frozen key aspects of the programme in order to reassess its design and necessity.

Penatgon began testing the helicopter without finalizing its design or testing its key components. It is estimated that the new Marine One choppers will end up costing more than the larger fixed wing Boeing 747 Air Force One jets.

Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, said at the meeting yesterday that he was unaware of "any more graphic demonstration of how good ideas have cost the taxpayers an enormous amount of money."

McCain told Obama that he would "have to make some tough decisions about not only what we procure, but how we procure it."

The president too responded, "This is going to be one of our highest priorities."