Presidential Helo On Schedule:

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The “Marine One” team of Lockheed Martin and Agusta Westland flew the first helicopter built specifically for the VH-71 Presidential helicopter program on July 3, “less than 30 months from the contract’s start,” according to a Team US101 release. Steven Moss, president of AgustaWestland North America, says the team is “on track to fly three more test vehicles by early 2008.” Jeff Bantle, general manager at Lockheed Martin Integration Systems in Owego, N.Y., says the July 3 flight of Test Vehicle #2 “marks the formal start of the VH-71 flight test program and positions the team to deliver production aircraft … in October 2009.” The Navy has set initial operational capability for late 2009. Remember that most analysts thought the Lockheed-AgustaWestland entrant was a shoe-in for the Air Force’s combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program, but USAF decided the VH-71 was in schedule difficulties.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org