Almost everyone, regardless of whether they’re American or not, are familiar with Air Force One. However, what about the President’s helicopter, Marine One? Why are not many people are familiar with it?
People are generally unfamiliar with the president’s helicopter because it is overshadowed by his famous motorcade, The Beast and by his own jet, Air Force One. As such, people tend to forget his helicopter!
Recently, we covered the Vice President’s private jet- Air Force Two. So now we’ll cover the President’s private helicopter- Marine One.
The First
During his presidency, President Eisenhower wanted to travel from the White House to his summer house in Pennsylvania. The car journey was too long, making it difficult for him to execute his duties as president.
As such, he began to look for alternative means of travel for this purpose. Originally, he settled on using Air Force One, however, his VC-121, a modified Lockheed Constellation airliner, was far too large to perform this duty.
As such, Eisenhower began to look for an alternative aircraft, perhaps a smaller airliner that could do the same job. However, there was no airfield near Eisenhower’s summer home.
Briefly, the idea of building an airfield near his home was floated, but this was too expensive, and wouldn’t be finished until after Eisenhower left office.
However, as a military man before the presidency, Eisenhower was familiar with the first generation of helicopters. However, thanks to WWII, helicopter technology had progressed significantly to the point that it could be used safely.
As such, he used several Bell H-13 Siouxs for this purpose, starting in 1957. The Sioux could land on a paved area near his summer house and be stored there until the president needed to leave again.
Official Introduction
However, this was relatively unofficial. The Sioux was designed as a recon helicopter, and could only fly two people other than the one pilot. Eisenhower wanted to use helicopters in the long term, just not the Sioux as it was too small.
As such, his team began to research large helicopters that had the capabilities to travel to his summer house, but one that wouldn’t damage the property. He and his team settled on the Sikorsky H-34, redesigned as the VH-34.
One of these aircraft was taken out of US Marine Corps service, and refitted with Air Force One-style amenities. This began in service in 1958, and was the first US military-official use of helicopters as presidential transport.
This was the helicopter that first began to use the call sign Marine One (as the USMC often operated the aircraft, alongside the US Army), in reference to Air Force One, which was also given its official title by Eisenhower.
However, the US military was using a nearby military airfield for storage and takeoff. This is something that the US military was worried about, as they wanted the president to get from the White House to his destination quickly.
As such, USMC engineers were brought in to look at where best area of the White House would be for a landing area. USMC engineers decided on the South Lawn as it was large and unobstructed. It still serves this purpose today.
The Second
The 1950’s had proven to be one of helicopter design’s best decades. At the start of the decade, they were barely more than a frame, but by the end of the 1960’s, helicopters were larger than ever!
As such, the Sikorsky VH-34, which had been introduced in 1958, was replaced by a modified variant of the Sikorsky SH-3, in 1961. This would be redesignated as the Sikorsky VH-3A.
Over the course of the 1960’s, modified variants of the VH-3 would be introduced, with older variants being phased out and retired completely. This included the VH-3B and VH-3C.
For the most part, these newer variants would be longer in length and have more powerful engines. This would allow the president to travel further and faster, whilst also carrying more staff than he had beforehand.
The original VH-3s were very similar to the VH-34s they replaced, in the fact that the first generations had very few amenities compared to its modern successor.
With that being said, over the course of the 1960’s, newer variants of the VH-3 were given newer amenities. The first use of air conditioning and toilets on helicopters was trailed on Marine One.
“Army One”
Between 1958 and 1976, it wasn’t just the USMC who operated the Marine One flights. The US Army also operated some of these flights, usually on routes where the nearest airfield was a US Army Air Corps base.
To distinguish itself from the USMC’s Marine One callsign, the US Army used the callsign Army One whenever the President was aboard. However, all of the aircraft were still owned by the US Marine Corps.
In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford sat down with the Army and USMC chiefs. Here, he separated the two services’ duties regarding the transportation of the President via helicopter, streamlining the entire process.
With this, the Army was no longer required to send crews to operate these flights. As such, the Army One and Army Two (used when carrying the vice president) callsigns were retired.
These callsigns have not been used officially in the US since. Although, many other countries’ Army-operated executive transport helicopters have had similar callsigns.
The Third
In 1987, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk entered service, under the designation of the VH-60N. This helicopter would serve the president’s shorter haul routes.
Throughout his presidency, Reagan was known to use the VH-60N quite often. Depending on the visiting dignitary or month, he would actually use it more than the VH-3D, even as that remained in service.
Due to the VH-3’s advancing age, they have become comparably fuel inefficient. As such, many subsequent presidents have used the VH-3 sparingly whilst preferring to use the VH-60N.
Since then, the VH-60N and VH-3D have served every president after Reagan, with both the VH-60N and the VH-3D remain in service today. However, as early as 2001, there were plans to replace the ageing aircraft.
Other Uses
If you know anything about Air Force One or Air Force Two, you’ll know that the President and Vice President aren’t the only people who use the VC-25As and the C-32Bs (among other aircraft).
The same is also true for Marine One. Many Senate and House majority and minority leaders need to fly in comfort, but also in relative safety, as do many high up military leaders. As such Air Fore One and Two aircraft are also used.
When it comes to them flying via helicopter, they often use the modern VH-3Ds and VH-60Ns. When they are flying with one of these people, they simply use a USMC standard callsign.
Similarly to Air Force One, there is also a secondary callsign when the vice president is being carried. This is Marine Two, and is often the exact same type of helicopter the president flies, sometimes being the exact helicopter!
Depending on their country of origin, and the US’s relationship with that country, foreign dignitaries may also fly on the helicopters. This is mostly to reduce congestion and/or show the US’s might.
Often, these foreign dignitaries are flown from whichever airport/airbase they arrive into, straight to the White House. From here, they meet the president and are transported to the accommodation, either via motorcade or by helicopter.
Here, they use a regular USMC callsign.
Today
Since 1976, all Marine One flights have been operated by the USMC’s prestigious HMX-1 squadron. The squadron is in charge of all helicopter-related executive travel.
Now more than ever, the President tends to fly on the newer VH-60Ns, rather than the ageing VH-3Ds. There are also more VH-60N-rated pilots than there are VH-3D-rated ones in HMX-1.
Whenever the President travels abroad, a C-5 or C-17 cargo aircraft takes the President’s motorcade and the Marine One helicopter before the President arrives. This is then waiting for him when he disembarks Air Force One.
It is the custom for an outgoing president to receive their final flight from the White House to Joint Base Andrews, on the day their successor is sworn into office. This has been the case with every outgoing president since Eisenhower.
Although these have never been used for this purpose, all modern Marine One aircraft possess air-to-air defense capabilities. This includes an array of weapons, should an enemy attack the helicopter and its passengers.
Replacement
During 9/11, Marine One response times were not sufficient enough to allow for a speedy getaway. As such, an official enquiry into possible replacements was launched.
Originally, the US marine Corps wanted an all-new design, rather than a modified variant of a civilian or military helicopter. However, serious cost overruns caused this to be cancelled in June 2009.
Instead, the USMC announced that they’d spend money to modernize their fleet in order to keep them flying. In 2013, the USMC announced that they’d be considering several aircraft as potential replacements.
Among these potential replacements was Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook, Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, AgustaWestland-Lockheed Martin’s AW101, and Sikorsky’s S-92. All of these would be modified for executive transport roles.
By 2014, all of the companies, except Sikorsky had dropped out of the competition. As such, in May 7 2014, the Navy awarded Sikorsky a $1.24 billion contract for 21 new, modified S-92 helicopters.
The Navy and Marine Corps expect that these aircraft will begin their service in 2023, roughly the same time as the new Air Force One. These will likely stay in service until the early 2070’s.
Failed Replacements
The initial two replacement concepts were drafted in the early 2000’s and were meant to enter service in 2015. However, the projects went over budget and the program was cut.
Boeing
Boeing has been one of the US’s premier defense contractors for the last 50 years or so. However, its helicopters have never been executive transport for the US Government, that’s only ever been Sikorsky!
In order to maximize its chances of winning, Boeing offered several of its most successful helicopters to the USMC. This included its famous CH-47 Chinook family of helicopters, including the smaller CH-46 Sea Knight.
However, concerns of size and weight, mostly pertaining to the potential damage of the South Lawn, caused the USMC to rule them out as potential Marine One replacements.
On top of this, Boeing offered its famed Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, tiltrotor aircraft. Boeing marketed this on taking the position of some of the shorter haul Air Force One routes as well as the Marine One routes.
However, the V-22 is prone to technical issues, which occasionally mean that the aircraft can’t take off in the designated time slot. On top of this, the V-22 is still a relatively dangerous aircraft, which makes it ill-suited to executive transport.
Lockheed Martin
After Agusta and Westland Helicopters merged to form AgustaWestland in 2001, they were interested in exporting their AW101 helicopter beyond just Europe. The US was their main target.
However, one of the stipulations of the contract stated that the helicopter had to be produced in the United States, with US workers producing them. AgustaWestland didn’t have any US-based manufacturing plants.
As such, they reached out to Lockheed Martin to form an alliance. Here, AgustaWestland would give Lockheed Martin the designs for the AW101, and Lockheed Martin would improve it and produce it in the US.
According to promotional material from Lockheed Martin, the aircraft, nicknamed US101, would be “65% American”. It was officially offered to the USMC as the Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel.
Had it been accepted as the next Marine One, it would’ve been the first non-US produced US Government aircraft in history. The two companies also had plans to sell the US101 as a corporate helicopter as well!
However, when President Obama officially ended the VXX program (the official program name for Marine One’s replacement), the partnership dissolved. The AW101 has never been officially offered in the US since.
What do you think about the history of Marine One? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Victoria Pickering via Flickr.