Cost Rises For Presidential Helicopter

Team Infidel

Washington Post
March 5, 2008
Pg. D4

Costs on Lockheed Martin's program to develop a helicopter to carry the president have risen at least 67 percent, said John J. Young Jr., the undersecretary of defense for acquisition. He said the cost estimate to develop the most advanced version of the helicopter is $7.5 billion, up from $4.5 billion. Costs for the first phase of an interim model rose to $3.7 billion from $2.3 billion, he said.
Since Lockheed was awarded the contract in January 2005, the program has been beset with cost and weight increases and disagreements between the company, Navy and White House Military Office over what technology is required on the helicopter.