On Friday, January 28, at 5pm, just after the markets close, the Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board will announce the next maker of the president's helicopter, Marine One. Some see this as good news for Lockheed Martin, whose US101 is up against the incumbent contractor Sikorsky. Why is this good for them? Because 35 percent of the helicopter is contracted out to the United Kingdom and Italy. Next month President Bush is scheduled to meet up with both Tony Blair and Silvio Berlusconi. Both prime ministers have leaned on Bush to go with their product. Would Bush visit these members of the Coalition of the Willing after snubbing their helicopter? The contract may be for only 23 helicopters, but the R&D value of it comes to about $1.5 billion. Stay tuned...