How does the Marine One helicopter get to the UK?

originally posted by: tommyjo

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
Oh wow, cheers guys!!

Interesting reading ahead, nice one.
What about the helicopter shadowing Marine One with twin rotors? Is it armed? Does it go everywhere with Marine One?

The MV-22 Ospreys are refuelled across the Atlantic. They stopped in Lajes, Azores before continuing to the UK with their C-130 air-refuelling support.

Landing at RAF Northolt, UK.

Cool as!
Thanks mate, I'm really glad I asked now, I knew ATS would do me proud.
Amazing those little Ospreys can cross the Atlantic and be refuelled, I love learning new stuff.

Not a VH-60, but they'll look something like this on a C-17 or a C-5. A C-5 can carry at least two of them per aircraft, a C-17 one. They can fit two limos on each aircraft as well.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Those planes are Yuuuuge!!!
I know some people in the UK have been bitchin about the cost of security for Trumps visit (not me) but the logistics and cost must be massive on the US side as well. I heard the BBC say his team amounts to around a thousand people.
Do you know why they use Ospreys and not the odd Apache to shadow him as well?

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

The Osprey and VH-60s are from HMX-1, and are specifically trained to fly the President and his entourage around. They rely on outside units to provide extra security. There generally isn't a need for the extra security, but there are outside units that are generally prepared to provide that security. The only time I've seen it really used was on 9/11 when they requested fighter escort as they were moving around, due to a credible threat against the aircraft.

ETA- Looks like C-17 06-6166 was also involved. It went into Northolt today.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: Zaphod58

Those planes are Yuuuuge!!!

I wanted to reply to this one separately. These are some of my favorite pictures to get an idea of the size of the C-5 and C-17.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Cheers Zaphod
It's interesting how much hardware is needed for the President's travels.
When he was at a palace or whatever do the marines stay at a US base then, leaving security up to the UK and his close protection officers?

300 extra police were drafted into London for his visit, they were bitching on social media that they were staying on camp beds in sports halls.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Wow! Just wow!!!
I'd love to see one up close!

Those are big birds!

How much fuel do they burn when fully loaded

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

They rely on local police and other security to handle normal security, and they'll have other forces, not necessarily on alert, but on a short notice ability to respond as necessary. It will depend on what units are available in the area where he's travelling as to whether it will be Marines, Army, or whoever.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Ah cool.
I hope the marines get some shore leave as well, be a bit crap to just go from a base in the states to a US base in the UK then back home again. Travel the world but never see any of it outside of bases.

a reply to: Whereismypassword

A lot. The C-5 was upgraded to the M, with CF6 engines (F138-GE-100 in military nomenclature). Empty, it has a range of around 7,000 miles, and with a load of 120,000 pounds the range is 5,250 miles. It drops pretty drastically as the payload goes up. At max payload, of 281,000 pounds, the range drops to about 2400 miles. The C-5B was down to 1200 nautical miles (about 1300 miles) at max payload. Their max takeoff weight is 840,000 pounds. Once they get airborne, they can refuel in flight and get over a million pounds total weight.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

They get down time as well. They'll frequently carry spare crews, so that if they have to travel and one crew is out of duty day, and when they don't have travel planned for that day, they'll get time to wander around.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for reply, it’s a guzzler when loaded.

a reply to: Whereismypassword

They generally don't release a firm number for how much fuel per hour it burns, because there are so many variables. I was reading a thesis on fuel improvements, and the new engines. They put the fuel burn on some flights at 20,000 pounds per hour. That puts it at just short of 3,000 gallons an hour for that payload/range/speed.

Just because, the C-32 traveling with them is 99-0016. It looks like it's operating as the backup aircraft for 29000.

99-0015 is acting as the remote aircraft. Another C-32A.