Air force one replacement program

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Less expensive alternatives also included buying two new i aircraft but eliminating some of the Air Force's requirements or just installing VIP interiors instead of the presidential configuration demanded by the Air Force. All proposals were flatly rejected by the service branch, according to DefenseOne. Air Force One is the most recognizable plane in the world thanks to its stunning blue and white paint job but the new jets will be getting a makeover thanks to Trump, who first expressed his desire to repaint the planes in a CBS News interview.

The new design features more red, white, and blue compared to the current model. Trump kept a model of the jet with the new design in the Oval Office for visitors to see. It's unclear whether the other VIP Air Force jets painted in the timeless blue and white livery will be updated or if the plane's soon-to-be inaugural flyer, Joe Biden, will keep Trump's changes.

The manual will reportedly contain over , pages and won't even be ready at the time of the jet's estimated delivery to the Air Force, with DefenseOne reporting that it will arrive in January Like most aircraft, the new planes will only last between 20 to 30 years, according to DefenseOne.

The current VCA aircraft are scheduled to be replaced just over three decades from their first flights with Bush in and The timing is in line with when most Jumbo Jets will be retired from passenger airlines and cargo carriers around the world.

Boeing has also announced an end date for the program after over a half-century of flight, with Atlas Air scheduled to receive the last four models in If the manufacturer stays the course and doesn't develop a new two-level, four-engine plane, the next flying White House may be a downgrade to a smaller jet like the Boeing X.

The new VCBs will have a range of 5, nautical miles, which is both less than some private jets from Gulfstream and Bombardier and the current Air Force One's range of unlimited miles. That's because the VCAs have the capability of air-to-air refueling that allows them to fly for as long as the president desires while receiving top offs from airborne fuel tankers.

Brian S. Skip to content. A proposed design for the VCB is shown in an artist's rendering. Boeing graphic. Expand Photo. June 9, By Brian W. Expand Comments. Billions of dollars are on the line if Congress cannot pass a defense appropriations bill in the coming month and instead decides to fund the Defense Department through a continuing resolution for the rest of fiscal , service chiefs and top Pentagon officials warned a House panel Jan.