Army's new $2.6 billion chopper can't fly in "bathing suit weather"

[Didereaux]

Source: 23/6

The Army has discovered that its new UH-72A Lakota helicopter, designed for search-and-rescue and disaster relief, has a fatal flaw: It can't fly in hot weather. At temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, cockpit temperature soars over the upper safe limit of 104 degrees. Naturally, the Army spent $2.6 billion on the choppers, reasoning that it is unlikely ever to be required to perform missions in temperatures over 80 degrees since everyone would be at the beach.

Sadly, the UH-72A is only the latest in a spate of recent military boondoggles that have cost taxpayers billions.
...more below

Read more: http://www.236.com/news/2007/11/16/armys_new_26_billion_chopper_c_1_2396.php

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So close to home the clenched jaw almost hurts as much as the belly muscles from laughing.

[independentpiney]

1. i was expecting a link to the Onion at the end

then I realized this was in lbn. That's just unbelievable.

[Gman]

2. And another $2.6 billion to a lucky GOP contributor

don't matter if it's shoddy work, don't matter if the works gets done at all. Just keep those checks coming to the GOP.

[Solar_Power]

12. How true

[Didereaux]

3. here's a link to the story that inspired the OP...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071109/ap_on_re_us/overheating_helicopters

[damntexdem]

11. Here's a high-tech solution to the problem:

Have special technicians called "icepersons" who will pull up in a horse-drawn wagon to a parked helicopter, use special equipment ("ice tongs") to lift out a block of frozen h20 and place it into a special box (called an "icebox") in the cockpit of the helicopter.

There, proof that new technology can overcome any problem. ;-)

[TwilightZone]

4. Meanwhile, we're fighting a war in the desert.

"No one would have ever anticipated fighting a war in the desert"

Automakers do hot-weather testing in Death Valley all the time, but our military couldn't be bothered with doing the same?

[underpants]

5. Also here-wanna guess who they support ???

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2302246

[Odin2005]

6. Christ, I wonder how much money we could save just by cutting out millitary pork?

That's what most of this shit seems to be, politically popular pork that enriches the defense industry and gives job security to those who work in the industry, whether the crap actually works (*cough* Star Wars *cough*) or is even used doesn't matter.

[Didereaux]

8. how just cutting out all Army above the rank of Captain? Cheney fired all brains above that rank

[boricua79]

7. wow...

i can't believe their rationale was actually, "everyone will be at the beach".

What morons...our tax dollars at work.

[doc03]

9. Those are probably designed to fight the next war

They are just looking ahead when all that ice melts we will invade Antarctica, you all know those penguins have WMD's don't you. We got to start punching some holes down there for oil.:shrug:

[Blue_Tires]

10. i'm sure the politically-connected war contractor is mailing back the refund now

:sarcasm:

[rucky]

13. We'll have to save it for our Antarctica invasion. n/t