There is more than just living at the White House at stake for the next presidential election winner. This 2020 campaign will deliver a $5.3 billion aircraft to the next commander in chief.
The existing Air Force One was first put into service during former President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s at a cost of $660 million, and the Boeing 747-8i will be delivered to Joint Base Andrews late in 2024 around the next presidential election, according to Business Insider.
Coincidentally, the presidential aircraft isn't even new. In fact, it was bought second hand from Russian airline, Transaero, which went out of business.
"We got a really good deal," former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said.
Trump did not see it that way, and he worked to get costs down, albeit still an estimated $5.3 billion when all said and done, DefenseOne reported.
"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion," Trump tweeted in 2016. "Cancel order!"
This used, recycled VC-25B plane comes with a 1,000-page owner's manual that is going to cost $84 million alone when it arrives – late – in January 2025, per DefenseOne.
Notably, the current Air Force One has air-to-air refueling capability, permitting unlimited miles, which the next one will not, ranging just 5,900 nautical miles, per the report.
Air Force sources told DefenseOne, however, the air-to-air refueling of the existing Air Force One was never used – even when putting former President George W. Bush airborne during September 11 terrorist attacks.
The next Air Force One will still be able carry the president and 70 others nonstop to any continent on the planet, including Tokyo, Japan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Tel Aviv, Israel.
The fuel efficiency of the General Electric engine will be better and save flying the plane some $1.9 billion, despite being a larger aircraft, per the report.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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