The Pentagon decided to replace outdated Presidential Boeing 747-200 with a new generation 747-8. According to CNN report, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in a statement that the Boeing’s largest and the World’s longest airplane, is the only aircraft “manufactured in the United States [that]when fully missionized meets the necessary capabilities established to execute the presidential support mission, while reflecting the office of the President of the United States of America consistent with the national public interest.”
The new air Force One tuning will incorporate the latest technologies. Pentagon will undertake the modifications necessary to make the plane ready for presidential flights, including the addition of sophisticated communication equipment and high-end protection systems, however, the living quarters for the President and his staff, will be significantly improved.
The plane itself is a rarity in the world. Airbus’s less expensive and more economical A380 reduced demand for the Boeing’s 747-8 and slowed its production to just 1.5 planes per month, according to Bloomberg.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US Air Force has set aside $1.65 billion between 2015 and 2019 for two replacement jets, though service life for old AF1 airplanes will reach its 30-year limit in 2017.
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Officially announced in 2005, the 747-8 is actually the third-generation of the 747, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings, and improved efficiency. The 747-8 is the largest 747 version, the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States, and the longest passenger aircraft in the world.
In 2007, the United States Air Force was seeking to upgrade Air Force One by replacing the Boeing VC-25 (two heavily modified 747-200Bs). In 2009, Boeing was reported to be exploring a 747-8 proposal, along with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner variant, and in January 2015, 747-8 was nominated as the best choice for the next Air Force One.
When fully customized by Pentagon, 747-8 will be unique luxurious flying fortress in the sky, though may not be the only 747-8 presidential aircraft as South Korea government sources indicated that the nation was considering purchasing the 747-8 to serve as the country’s presidential aircraft.
