Air Force Materiel Command intends to award a sole-source contract to Boeing for preliminary design activities on the Air Force One replacement aircraft, according to a request for proposal released May 10. If finalized, the deal would modify a January contract that awarded the manufacturer $25.8 million to begin work on risk reduction activities for the Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program. The RFP notes the scope of the work would include two presidential transports. A service spokesman told Air Force Magazine in an email the quantity is based on the approved acquisition strategy and President Obama’s Fiscal 2017 budget submission. Prior RFPs noted the service was looking to buy up to three aircraft. Final decisions on the number of aircraft that will make up the fleet and their capability requirements are expected to be made this summer, when the program is scheduled to reach Milestone B. If approved, the aircraft will be bought, and preliminary design will begin. The service bought the 747-200Bs—military designation VC-25A—that make up the current presidential fleet in 1987; the first was put to use as Air Force One in September 1990.
When Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Air Force Gen. Dan Caine described the 150 aircraft used in Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he referenced many by name, including the F-35 and F-22 fighters and B-1 bomber. Not specified, however, were “remotely piloted drones,” among them a secretive aircraft spotted and photographed returning to Puerto…
