Marine One

Marine One is the moniker given to the presidential helicopter, managed by the U.S. Marine Corps, to facilitate short-distance presidential transport. Marine Two refers to the machine used for the vice president and other very important persons (VIPs) needing high-priority transportation. From Eisenhower to Obama, the size and expense of the executive helicopter fleet has ballooned, growing from a few off-the-shelf general purpose choppers to a planned fleet of controversial sophistication and cost. This entry discusses the history of presidential helicopters and the fleet in use today and looks at the controversy surrounding the recent proposals for a new design of presidential helicopter.