The White House Military Office, not the Air Force, will set the aircraft’s requirements for advanced security, communications and accommodations, Ryder said. The presidential plane is a flying fortress, equipped with advanced electronic countermeasures and able to refuel in midair to remain aloft in a national emergency.
Its communications systems can securely place the president in contact with virtually anyone in the world and command the U.S. military, including its nuclear arsenal, while in flight.
So far, the Air Force has budgeted about $1.6 billion through 2019 for the Air Force One program. It decided in 2015 to let Boeing build the jets without competition because it had the only U.S.-built passenger plane that could be adapted for the purpose. But the service said it would provide for bidding on specialized equipment such as advanced electronics and communications.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.