New Air Force One will stay blue and white, discards Donald Trump’s design
2 min read . Updated: 11 Mar 2023, 06:59 AM IST
Premium- The choice of the plane's exterior colors follows an earlier decision by the administration to scrap a red-white- blue design as favoured by former President Donald Trump.
President of the United States Joe Biden has selected the livery design for the Next Air Force One, VC-25B, a design that will closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernizing for the 21st century.
Speaking of the other primary differences, it said, "While accounting for the VC-25B’s larger 747-8i aircraft, the VC-25B livery has three primary differences with the VC-25A’s livery. The light blue on VC-25B is a slightly deeper, more modern tone than VC-25A's robin's egg blue. Additionally, the VC-25B engines will use the darker blue from the cockpit area vice the VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. Finally, there is no polished metal section on the VC-25B because modern commercial aircraft skin alloys don't allow for it
Boeing is modifying two of its 747-800 aircraft that will use the Air Force One call sign when the president is aboard. They will replace the existing fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft the president currently uses.
The choice of the plane's exterior colors follows an earlier decision by the administration to scrap a red-white- blue design as favoured by former President Donald Trump.
In June 2022, Biden’s administration had scrapped former President Donald Trump’s red, white and blue design for the new generation of presidential aircraft after an Air Force review suggested it would raise costs and delay the delivery of the new jets.
In 2018, Trump directed that the new jets shed the iconic Kennedy-era blue-and-white design for a white-and-navy color scheme. The top half of the plane would have been white and the bottom, including the belly, would have been dark blue. A streak of dark red would have run from the cockpit to the tail. The coloring was almost identical to the exterior of Trump's personal plane.
As per the Air force, the VC-25B aircraft will replace the current VC-25A fleet, which faces capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence. Modifications to the aircraft will include electrical power upgrades, a mission communication system, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system, and autonomous ground operations capabilities.
It stated that VC-25B deliveries are projected for 2027 for the first aircraft and 2028 for the second aircraft.
“The Air Force remains postured to keep VC-25A available and mission-ready until delivery of the VC-25B," it said.
The current generation of planes first carried President George H.W. Bush, who served from 1989-1993.
(With inputs from Associated Press)