The President of the United States is regarded as the most powerful person in the world, and with that role comes the need for frequent travel, whether it’s to cover a vast country or attend diplomatic meetings abroad.
According to Saednews, Science and Technology section, citing KhabarOnline, U.S. presidential aircraft have a long history that dates back to Franklin Roosevelt. For long-haul trips, the President currently uses a modified Boeing 747-200B, a plane designed to completely replace the Oval Office in the White House. In addition to a medical center and a bedroom for the President and First Lady, part of the aircraft is also reserved for journalists.
Boeing has designed this roughly 71-meter-long aircraft to ensure the President can travel anywhere on the planet with comfort. The plane has a range of 12,500 kilometers before needing to refuel, but it is capable of in-flight refueling, giving it virtually unlimited range. Moreover, the U.S. presidential plane is built to withstand an electromagnetic pulse in case the plane or the U.S. itself becomes the target of such an attack.
The 747-200B only needs to land when its passengers run out of food and water. Otherwise, it contains everything a small command center would need to stay operational, including multi-frequency satellite communications and an office that doubles as a medical center. With Boeing ceasing production of the 747, the 747-200B is one of the last of its kind still flying and will eventually be replaced by a newer model. The U.S. Air Force has selected the Boeing 747-8 to replace the current Air Force One, the fastest and most advanced version of the 747. This newer model can travel more than 1,600 kilometers farther than its predecessor. It has a longer range, but this improvement comes with a downside: it won’t be able to refuel in mid-air, making it a slightly less reliable command center. Additionally, this limitation could jeopardize the continuity of government in the event of a coordinated attack on U.S. soil. The Air Force removed this capability from the new Air Force One as a cost-cutting measure.
According to The War Zone, a source close to the White House said that removing this feature is not problematic because it’s something no President has ever needed. However, an air refueling operator aboard a KC-135 claimed to have refueled Air Force One in mid-flight several times, with this practice reportedly dating back to the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
The new 747-8 boasts features that surpass the 747-200B, such as emitting 16 tons less carbon dioxide per flight and flying at a speed of 0.855 Mach compared to the 0.84 Mach of the previous Air Force One. While details about the next-generation Air Force One remain limited, it’s clear that it will retain its flying Oval Office and self-sufficient command center capabilities.
