President Donald Trump has once again ditched his prized personal private jet for an arsenal of VIP government aircraft.
The most famous is Air Force One, a pair of highly modified Boeing 747 double-deckers that have flown every president since George H. W. Bush beginning in 1990.
But there are many lesser-known government VIP aircraft, including a flying command center, smaller Boeing narrowbodies, private jets, and helicopters responsible for shuttling the president and vice president, military and congressional leaders, cabinet members, and more. Members of the press are also regularly invited on board.
Branches of the US military maintain and operate the fleet of aircraft, and military pilots are employed for the highly specialized missions. The aviators need thousands of hours of flying and combat experience.
The fleet is poised to change as the Trump Administration hopes to acquire new 747 planes to replace the aging Air Force One collection, though that may not happen until after his second term.
Air Force One Boeing 747s generally carry the president.
Air Force One has flown US presidents for decades — though the codename generally refers to any aircraft carrying the president. According to the White House, it is equipped with armored plating, missile defenses, midair refueling systems, and 4,000 square feet of floor space across three different levels.
This includes bedrooms, conference rooms, a flying Oval Office, a medical center complete with a doctor, and kitchens.
There are rooms onboard for administration members, such as advisors and the Secret Service, as well as the press and other invited guests.
Trump is not happy his new 747s are late
During his first administration, Trump struck a $3.9 billion deal with Boeing to receive two new 747s to replace the now 35-year-old fleet. The agreement saw Boeing take on any additional costs, which now total over $2 billion.
Boeing did not meet the initially expected delivery date of 2024 amid its recent quality and manufacturing problems. The Wall Street Journal reported in December the 747 deliveries may not happen until 2029 or later — and Trump isn’t happy about it.
Trump has tasked senior advisor Elon Musk with fast-tracking the Boeing deliveries in hopes he can enjoy them before leaving office.
Air Force Two Boeing 757s carry the vice president.
A fleet of C-32 aircraft, which are modified Boeing 757 passenger jetliners, carry people like the vice president, the first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress.
These are dubbed “Air Force Two” when the vice president is onboard.
According to the US Air Force, the plane is divided into four sections. Three contain business or first-class seats, conference rooms, galleys, lavatories, and a communication center.
A separate section is a stateroom for the main guest and includes a private lavatory, a bed, and a changing room, among other personal necessities.
Some top officials fly around in VIP Boeing 737s.
Combatant commanders, cabinet members, and Congresspeople can fly in the US fleet of customized Boeing 737-700 business planes. The USAF’s models — the C-40B and C-40C — have advanced performance capabilities, traffic avoidance systems, and weather radar.
According to the USAF, the C-40B is built as an “office in the sky” for top military and government officials and has special communications systems that support WiFi, video, audio, and other transmission equipment.
The C-40C lacks the specialized comms but can be configured with a larger passenger cabin with seats for 42 to 111 people. The Navy has a C-40A “Clipper” 737, but it rarely carries high-ranking government officials.
The presidential helicopter fleet is dubbed Marine One.
The US Marine Corps HMX-1″Nighthawks” manages a fleet of helicopters that are dubbed “Marine One” when the president is on board.
The helicopters adorn a recognizable green-and-white livery and have anti-missile systems and soundproof interiors.
Two models perform presidential missions: the 14-passenger Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King and the 11-passenger VH-60N Blackhawk. The Blackhawks can be folded into military cargo aircraft and transported with the president to support them at their destination.
Several branches of the military carry VIPs in Gulfstream private jets.
Branches of the military operate customized US-made Gulfstream C-37 twin-engine aircraft to transport high-ranking government and Department of Defense officials.
The USAF’s C-37B variant can carry the vice president and cabinet members. When carrying the vice president, the Gulfstream would become Air Force Two.
These Gulfstreams have luxe furnishings and advanced safety and security technologies, such as enhanced autopilot and modern vision systems for poor-visibility weather conditions.
The E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ Boeing 747 is on standby for nuclear war.
The E-4B “Nightwatch” is primarily an airborne operations center that can carry the president, the secretary of defense, the joint chiefs of staff, and other needed personnel in case of a national emergency, such as a nuclear war.
Dubbed the “flying war room” or the “doomsday plane,” the fleet is stationed in Omaha, Nebraska and one is available 27/4. The E-4B has a conference, communications, and briefing room, other work areas, and accommodations.
Like Air Force One, the E-4B can refuel midair to allow it to fly nonstop for days. The distinctive hump on the top holds specialized communications and satellite equipment.
In addition to wartime, the E-4B is used by SecDef for international travel and to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency during natural disasters.
The government has other aircraft for troops, top military officials, and cargo.
The military has a fleet of other large transport aircraft available for troops, VIP military officials, and cargo to support the president and other government staff, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid.
These include the C-130 Hercules, the nose-loading C-5 Galaxy, and the C-17 Globemaster. Multiple branches also operate smaller private jets, like the C-20G Gulfstream and the C-21 Learjet.
The customized Gulfstream and Learjet largely carry military officials and other dignitaries, though the latter also ferries medical patients for the USAF. Meanwhile, the C-17 can transport Marine One.
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