phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Yeah, they've got to add a whole bunch of crap... Of course, down here in NAVAIR/contractor world, it seems that $10M is the magic number anytime you want to do anything.
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USMC Executive Flight Detachment (HMX-1 and Presidential Helo)
- Thread starter JZAB
- Start date
The Presidential Helo Program is now under OSD scrutiny and the Sikorsky S-92 may have another shot to win the prize
At the end of this article is says "A company spokesman said Lockheed continues to look at options with the Navy." What would this be referring to? It was my understanding the Navy was getting rid of all of its 53's and is going to be nothing but 60's?
When was that put out?
Don't be confused by that; the Navy is buying the aircraft, the Marines do not buy their own equipment as a separate service - it is all blue dollars. 60's are in the (slow) process of taking over OAMCM (mine hunting) but aren't there yet which is likely what the person you were talking to was addressing.
LMSI and the Navy are going to have to renegotiate increment two (or have a ton of adds/deletes in the framework of the current deal). They will be out of money very soon for this FY and a stop work order is already being contemplated. I would expect increment one to remain largely unchanged. One interesting aspect is that talk of cutting out Bell for assembly has re-surfaced as an option from being politically unviable and a real third-rail last year.
It's part of the helo master plan, but with all things Navy nothing is certain. I will say that we're supposed to start towing next year, and they've been towing with 60s in HX-21 for a while now. Also, the 60 can't replace the 53 for the VOD mission, so...
And if it involves weapons release and V/V, it escalates to $50-150M in a heartbeat to cover software support activity costs and DT/OT related costs (even though OT is conducted under of auspices of COMOPTEVFOR, the costs are passed to the program office as set forth in the TEMP)
USMC does have their own Systems Command at Quantico and do buy their own "equipment", but it is largely relegated to ground systems. The so-called blue dollars in support of "green" (USMC) are not only related to aviation procurement. They cover medical and religious programs as well as Seabees. There are even Green dollars in support of blue. The Marines do not turn everything over to Navy in that regard. NAVAIR is totally integrated with Marine representation in programs that they care about and in cases of platfroms that are Marine specific like H-1 Upgrades (AH-1Z+UH-1Y, V-22, AV-8B, etc.), the program manager is almost always a Marine Colonel. In fact, JSF recently got the second Marine general assigned to the front office as a deputy who will fleet up to running the show (PEO JSF alternates between Air Force, Navy, Marine management). That general came from role as AV-8B Program Manager.
However, USMC "POMs" for their people, but as stated above most (almost all)* of Marine Aviation is paid by Blue dollars "programmed" by OPNAV N88. DC Air is dual-hatted as N88M and there are Marines integrated into the OPNAV N88 staff for every platform they operate as well as DC Air APW/APB staff watching out for USMC interests and building the Marine Aviation Campaign Plan. Under the TACAIR Integration Plan, USMC squadrons are integrated into Navy Air Wings to meet commitments and some Navy squadrons fulfill USMC commitments.
*Air Defense and C2 are paid for by Green Dollars
That is excellent point to bring up. Putting in time at Pax River/NAVAIR/PEO assignments as a Marine has been debatable as far as being career enhancing. it didn't hurt LTGEN Hough nor BGEN Heinz, but many have felt it was appreciated, but not getting them anywhere in relation to their peers. The JSF position offers a two star reward, but it's likely not going to last forever and only comes around twice in last 13 years for Marines. There are opportunities for Marines to screen for command in NAVAIR organization (aside from PMA assignment that is a major command billet for up to 4 years). The DT Test Squadrons are open to Marines as are the two Wings and TPS. MGEN Marion Carl went back and forth between operational and test commands thorughout his sterling career (worth reading as he was one of few surviving Wildcat pilots that flew from Midway and started racking up victories there before doing even better as part of the Cactus Air Force. he was part of jet transition for USMC and early days in Vietnam flying everything he could find in combat as a general). NAVAIR Deputy commander used to always be a Marine General and maybe that will come back if Marines decide to provide a general officer again...(I personally think the time is right).
Want2flyNow
I said over-easy!!!!!!
Nice. But I think he needs an Osprey.
That was considered once upon a time. HMX-1 is responsible for flying the president (white top side of the house) and conducting operational test of rotary aircraft (green top) unique to the Marine Corps (CH-46E, CH-53D/E, and the UH-1N ). They participated heavily in early stages of V-22 until VMX-22 was stood up in 2003 and responsibility for V-22 OT was transferred to that command.
It's actually a bit of overkill for the distances he usually flies in rotary-wing platforms.
True, but then again, some of the distances they'll fly the VC-25 ("real name" of Air Force One) are kinda silly. The President came down to Norfolk once or twice in the last few years, and they brought the whole road show with them. A 747 flight between Andrews and Norfolk? "Gear up...approach checks".
So it'd make sense to have a Presidential tiltrotor for those short hops, but they'd probably have to pressurize the cabin among many other things, bells and whistles and machines that go "ping". I'm a fan of the Osprey, but I think there's probably more than a few undiscovered bugs remaining to be worked out before it's ready to be Marine One.