Hot bidding likely for new Air Force One
15 Jan 2009
The United States Air Force is looking for manufacturers to design and build the next Air Force One, the aircraft that transports the president and his entourage worldwide. This could set the stage for a new transatlantic battle between global wide body rivals Boeing and Airbus. Design options could include the Boeing 787, 747-8 and Airbus A380.
The Air Force One competition is likely to be the hotter since the Pentagon halted bidding for the $35 billion new aerial refueling tankers. The USAF is reassessing requirements, and a new request for proposals for the KC-135 replacement could come within the first 90 days of President-elect Barack Obama taking office next week.
Contractors interested in competing for the VC-25A replacement, the to-be Air Force One, are expected to provide preliminary data to the service by Jan. 28. The Air Force issued a request for information last week.
Three aircraft are sought, with deliveries expected in fiscal 2017, 2019 and 2021. The service desires a newly built aircraft derived from existing commercial wide bodies.
The current Air Force One, the VC-25A, was built on Boeing's 747-200 airframe and delivered in 1990, with a 30-year design life. Maintenance of the fleet is getting more costly as commercial 747-200s have been retired from service with the airlines.
