Marine One

Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes one of 19 helicopters operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D or the newer, smaller VH-60N Whitehawk. Both are due to be replaced by the VH-71 (US101), a derivative of the AgustaWestland EH101. A Marine Corps aircraft carrying the Vice President is designated Marine Two.

History

The first use of helicopters for presidential transport was in 1957, when Dwight D. Eisenhower traveled on an H-13 Sioux. This early aircraft lacked the "creature comforts" found on its modern successors, such as air conditioning and toilets.

In 1958, the H-13 was replaced by the H-34, and in 1961 by the Sea King.

Until 1976 the Marine Corps shared the responsibility of helicopter transportation for the president with the US Army. Army helicopters used the call sign Army One while the president was on board.

Current operations

Marine One is sometimes the preferred alternative to motorcades, which can be expensive and logistically difficult. The controlled environment of a helicopter also adds greatly to the safety factor.

More than 800 Marines supervise the operation of the Marine One fleet, which is based in Quantico, Virginia, but is more often seen in action on the South Lawn of the White House, or at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. At Andrews, it is sometimes used to connect to Air Force One for longer journeys. Wherever Marine One flies, it is met on the ground by at least one Marine in full dress uniform (most often two with one acting as an armed guard). In his final days of office, while flying over and landing near the Grand Canyon, President Bill Clinton was stunned to find a Marine waiting on the rock ready to salute him.[1] Marine aviators flying Marine One do not wear regular flight suits during flights, but rather the Marine Officer Blue Dress (Delta) uniform.

Marine One is always transported (as is the president's limousine known as Cadillac One) wherever the president travels, within the U.S. as well as overseas. Wherever Air Force One lands, one would always find Marine One parked nearby (even if the president is using the motorcade).

As a security measure, Marine One always travels in groups with identical helicopters, sometimes as many as five. One helicopter carries the president, while the others serve as decoys for would-be assassins on the ground. Upon take-off these helicopters begin to shift in formation (sometimes referred to as a Presidential shell game) regularly to keep the location of the President secure. Also, Marine One reportedly is equipped with standard military anti-missile countermeasures such as flares to counter heat-seaking missiles and chaff to counter radar-guided missiles. To add to the security of Marine One, every member of HMX-1 is required to pass a Yankee White background check before touching any of the helicopters used for presidential travel.

VH-3/VH-60 replacement

Main article: VH-71

Although the VH-3 looks brand new, it is an aging airframe, having entered service with HMX-1 in 1962. Consequently, a replacement is in production, with initial operational capability due by 2008 and full operational capability by no later than 2014.

The selected replacement is the AgustaWestland EH101, which will be produced by Lockheed Martin under license as the US101, with the military designation VH-71 Kestrel.

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