POLITICO Pro Boeing to replace Air Force One

The Air Force plans to replace the president’s iconic Air Force One with another new Boeing 747, it said Wednesday.

The decision was not a surprise: There’s only one other large, four-engine aircraft in production today, but it’s the Airbus A380, built by Boeing’s archenemy in France. Boeing’s 747s are built in Everett, Washington.


“The presidential aircraft is one of the most visible symbols of the United States of America and the office of the president of the United States,” said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James. “The Boeing 747-8 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.”

Now, there are two 25-year-old Boeing 747s in the presidential fleet, and delivery of any new jets is not expected for at least five years.

Wednesday’s decision was not a contract award, and the costs associated with the decision aren’t clear. Although Boeing has built more than 1,500 747s since the type first flew in 1968, the aircraft that transports the president requires high levels of customization to accommodate secure communications, sensors, countermeasures, in-flight refueling and other upgrades.

In the past the Air Force has said it projected to set aside about $1.7 billion for the program over the next five years. The Pentagon’s new budget request, due to Congress on Monday, may include new details.

“We still need to finalize the overall acquisition strategy and conduct risk-reduction activities with Boeing to inform the engineering and manufacturing development contract negotiations that will define the capabilities and cost,” said program manager Col. Amy McCain.

Even though the Air Force has decided Boeing will build the basic airplane, it still wants to stage competitions among subcontractors, which could also affect the final cost.

“We are committed to incorporating competition for subsystems of the missionized aircraft as much as practicable and will participate substantively in any competitions led by the prime contractor,” James said.

“Affordability” will be a top priority, she said.

Program officials are expected to face intense pressure from President Barack Obama and his successors to keep the new program on track and on budget. The Pentagon was embarrassed after having to cancel its $13 billion effort to buy a new fleet of presidential helicopters in 2009. The Navy Department has launched another program that it hopes will yield aircraft to replace the current presidential fleet of VH-3 Sea Kings by the early 2020s.

Boeing welcomed Wednesday’s announcement with a statement that said it looked forward to “working with the Air Force and continuing to draw on our more than 50-year history of experience with this program.”

Leigh Munsil contributed to this report.