The US President Donald Trump and Boeing reportedly strucked an "informal deal" for the purchase of two new Air Force One aircraft, based on the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, the White House said on Tuesday. The new VIP transport jets will replace the two modified 747-200Bs in service since 1990 for an estimated cost of US$3.9 bn.
An rendering of next-generation Air Force One will likely look like
(Credit: RR)
“President Trump has reached an informal deal with Boeing on a fixed-price contract for the new Air Force One Program,” Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told Reuters news agency.
“President Trump negotiated a good deal on behalf of the American people,” Boeing said in a news release. Earlier this month, the Pentagon released US Air Force budget documents for FY 2019 disclosing the US$3.9 billion cost for the program.
In September 2017, the US Air Force awarded a contract modification for just under $600 million to Boeing on for preliminary design efforts for the next presidential aircraft.
These aircraft will start providing worldwide presidential airlift support in 2024, after a series of modifications and tests. Boeing will modify their Federal Aviation Administration-certified commercial 747-8 aircraft to meet presidential operational requirements to help ensure an affordable program.
In March 2017, following a series of requirements reviews, the White House reaffirmed the minimum set of requirements necessary to meet presidential mission needs. The modifications to the aircraft will include incorporating a mission communications system, electrical power upgrades, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system and autonomous ground operations capabilities.