The Marine Corps deployed several Osprey aircraft Saturday to escort a presidential flight to the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, CNN reported Saturday.
Greg Clary writes the MV-22 tilt rotor planes transported White House staff, media representatives and Secret Service agents during the weekend.
Boeing and Bell Helicopter jointly designed the Osprey to take off vertically, travel faster and carry more payload than the older CH-46E presidential support helicopter.
The fleet was reengineered in late 2000 to address safety concerns and support combat missions in Afghanistan, according to the report.
CNN reports President Obama dropped plans to buy a new fleet of Marine One helicopters in 2009 because of budgetary issues.
