Know About Marine One – The Chopper , Helicopter of American President Barack Obama

Know About Marine One – The Chopper , Helicopter of American President Barack Obama

Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members and other VIPs

HMX-1, the Marine squadron tasked with flying the President of the United States, was first formed in 1947.
The VH-34 Choctaw was the first helicopter model to be used as Marine One.



When President of America is traveling in a Marine Helicopter, it is called as Marine One Helicopter.
When term Marine One is used one should understand that the President of America is traveling in that Helicopter.

When the President is aboard, the Marine helicopter uses the call sign "Marine One."
Call Sign Marine Two means Vice President of America is traveling in that helicopter.

Marine One is always transported wherever the president travels, within the U.S. as well as overseas.

It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk"

Marine one chopper pilots learn to fly 4 types of helicopters . It is compulsory to learn to fly these 4 types of helicopters.
1. VH-3D
2. VH-60 used for presidential lifts,
3. CH-46
4. CH-53E

The VH-3D is the primary helicopter model used as Marine One

Security and Marine one –

Normally when President is flying in Marine one, that same time other identical helicopters also fly with that helicopter.
Thus enemy never knows in which helicopter, Marine One President is traveling, even sometimes 5 marine one choppers fly with the real Marine One.

Marine One is equipped with standard military anti-missile countermeasures such as flares to counter heat-seeking missiles and chaff to counter radar-guided missiles, as well as AN/ALQ-144A infrared countermeasures.

Flares are used to misled the heat-seeking missiles as flares burn at thousands of degrees, which is much hotter than the exhaust of a jet engine

Chaff – is used to fool or misled or to distract radar-guided missiles from their targets.

When Chaff is dropped every 2 minute is considered as distress signal by an aircraft.



On July 16, 2009, Marine One flew with an all-female crew for the first time.
first woman to fly the president: Major Jennifer Grieves

To date Marine One has never faced any accident or terror attack.
Record is clean and excellent.


The first official presidential helicopter was the VH-34 Choctaw, beginning operations in September 1957

V means VIP

HMX-1 also operates a small number of CH-53E Super Stallions and CH-46 Sea Knights for utility purposes, and will be replaced with CH-53Ks and MV-22B Ospreys, respectively, by 2017

VIP transport helicopters can be distinguished from their utility counterparts and non-EFD aircraft by the white paint at the top of the aircraft, leading to the nickname "white tops."

The presidential and VIP flights are conducted by "Whiteside," the Executive Flight Detachment. Most activities of Whiteside are directed by the White House Military Office.

Because of security reasons –
President Barack Obama will be flying down by chopper, Marine One from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport to south Mumbai on Saturday early evening.

INS Shikra, is a naval air station and helicopter base, which provides air traffic control services to Indian defence and civilian helicopters operating in south Mumbai.
Obama will be flying by the Marine One chopper to Hotel Taj.

Watch the video of Marine One with Obama landing in Toronto –
During the G20 Summit in Toronto - Obama landing in front of the Metro Toronto Convention Center -



Below is the photo of Marine One Helicopter , chopper
Sikorsky VH-60N Blackhawk - U.S.M.C. HMX-1 Nighthawks Marine One



Suggested Reading –

Know about Air Force One, American Presidents Aircraft - the Flying White house –

http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/know-about-air-force-one-american.html


Reality views by sm –
Friday, November 05, 2010