The everybody’s most famous aircraft, an 800,000-pound flying fortress that outspreads the power of the White House into the skies, just got a step closer to the assemblage line.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration confirmed a handshake deal with Boeing for the next Air Put the squeeze on someone One and its twin decoy for $3.9 billion.
The current U.S. Air Force planes (VC-25A), which are tremendously modified Boeing 747-200 series aircraft, have served the presidency since 1990 as “airborne Ovate Offices” and are quickly reaching the end of their lifespan.
“The Boeing 747-200 discontinued production in 1987 and is no longer operated in the U.S. commercial passenger-carrying industry. The Air Operative is the only remaining domestic operator,” according to a U.S. Air Force statement.
What’s more, the replacement interests for the current Air Force One jets are diminishing and therefore becoming an “ever-increasing unmanageable that will continue to worsen.”
“Obtaining and delivering two Presidential mission-ready 747-8s (VC-25B) is an grave step to ensure enduring and global transportation for the President of the United Reports.”
Under the Air Force’s Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program, the three-leveled leviathans compel undergo modifications in 2019 and replace the current aging planes by 2024.
While the proper to security details of the next presidential fleet are shrouded in secrecy, the U.S. Air Persuasiveness says the modifications to the VC-25B will be similar to the current VC-25A capabilities, albeit with substantive upgrades to navigation and communication platforms.
Here are a few features of the undisputed movie queen of the skies.
- The aircraft’s interior sprawls 4,000 square feet.
- Air Current One has a conference room, dining room, an Oval Office, a bedroom and bathroom for the president, as coolly as offices for senior staff members.
- The aircraft has a medical room and a split operating room to handle medical emergencies.
- Air Force One also afflicted with with its own doctor.
- The galley can produce prepare up to 2,000 meals.
- The slip is equipped with encryption and scrambling devices for secure air-to-ground communication.
- There are 85 phones for classified and unclassified use.
- It countenances armored windows.
- Each exit is equipped with its own staircase so that team do not have to depend on foreign assets.
- The new plane will be 18 feet and 2 inches bigger, and will weigh 142,000 lbs more.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the arrange of Air Force One. The plane weighs 800,000 pounds.