By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER
CHICAGO — President Joe Biden on Monday took his first flight aboard the trendy VH-92A helicopter that serves as Marine One after years of delays to this system to switch the getting old plane that carry the president and vp.
Biden boarded the Sikorsky-made helicopter after arriving on Air Pressure One in Chicago the place he’s set to talk Monday night on the Democratic National Convention. The maiden presidential voyage carried him from O’Hare Worldwide Airport to the parking zone of Chicago’s Soldier Subject, typically used as a touchdown zone for presidential journey.
It marked an important milestone in a two-decade-long course of to switch the Vietnam-era helicopters which were in use carrying presidents, in some instances, for the reason that Seventies.
An preliminary effort to buy new helicopters was kicked off by the Bush administration in an effort to enhance communications and mission capabilities within the post-September 11, 2001 surroundings, however it was scrapped by President Barack Obama after rampant price overruns.
The brand new program was began by the Obama administration, and the helicopter, branded the “Patriot” by its producer, made its public debut throughout the Trump administration. However points with the safe communications system on board — required in order that the president can perform categorised conversations and make army choices in an emergency — in addition to a bent to scorch the White Home South Garden led to years of delays to this system.
The Marine Corps reported final 12 months that the communications points had been resolved, however it was not clear whether or not modifications to the exhaust system have eradicated the menace to the White Home grass.
Marine Helicopter Squadron One, which operates the plane, has been utilizing the VH-92 helicopters for a number of years in common service, together with check flights round Washington, D.C. and to hold White Home workers and safety personnel. The ultimate VH-92A helicopter was delivered earlier this month, giving the USMC 21 operational plane and two for testing. The entire program price for the 23 plane was about $5 billion.
The brand new helicopters are based mostly on the commercially-available Sikorsky S-92 and are bigger and have longer vary than the older VH-3D and VH-60N fashions.
Related Press writers Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.
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