the government felt it needed new helicopters to transport the Pres off the yard... so it blew 5 billion tax dollars, without checking to see it the expensive waste of dollars new choppers could do the job. They can't.

Instead of verifying that the new bulletproof taxis could successfully operate on the White House lawn... (in the words of Sikorsky's rep: "to validate and ensure the aircraft meets that specific operational requirement) the govt blew 5 billion dollars instead buying 20 new helos that won't be used. 

That's probably 500 million potholes that could have been fixed, or 25000 miles of repaved highways

So... the the Lockheed Martin / Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot has such hot exhaust, it kills the lawn. It's an issue that was initially identified in 2018.

Because of this unrelenting problem, the new VH-92 is only carrying White House officials or Secret Service personnel instead of the president himself and is restricted to landing on paved surfaces, the report said.

Older VH-3D Sea King helicopters will continue to transport Biden from the iconic, traditional South Lawn takeoff spot.

The govt sought to replace these aging aircraft with the newer VH-92 systems under the $5 billion program, and has already secured 20 of them from Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky's parent company.

In early 2021, the Department of Defense's operational testing and evaluations office determined that "the damage was found to be primarily due to engine exhaust, auxiliary power unit exhaust, and discharge of aircraft fluids onto the grass."

https://www.businessinsider.com/new-marine-one-helicopters-cant-carry-president-biden-report-2024-4

For about 40k, they can install a damn landing pad in the White House lawn where for decades helos have landed, and will continue to land, and NOTHING else occurs...... and then they can use the new helicopters... I bet some asshole politician is determined to NOT allow that to happen, and instead, insist on blowing more tax dollars on some other half ass solution