Where Is Boeing Building The Next Air Force One?

Boeing has been serving Presidents since the days of Roosevelt, and that's still true to this day, with a duo of Boeing 747-200 models currently fulfilling the role of Air Force One. Specifically, Air Force One carries the model code VC-25A, and is specially configured for the role, so different from other 747-200 models which may be in use elsewhere.

Having done the rounds now since 1991, the time has come for the two VC-25A models to be replaced; a job which once again has been handed to Boeing. The next Air Force One will be a 747-8, and it shall carry the designation of VC-25B. Once again, two shall be constructed, and the construction of these two Boeing 747-8 models is to be carried out at Boeing's Global Support Services facility, in Kelly Field annex, San Antonio, Texas.

The site where these two new aircrafts will be maintained though is still under construction, specifically at the Andrews Air Force Base. A new site is deemed necessary as the new VC-26B jets are significantly larger than the outgoing models, sporting a 225-foot wingspan, to the VC-25A's 196 feet. The all-new two-bay hangar will measure up at 660 feet in length, 575 feet in width, and 115 feet in height, boasting a total capacity of 366,000 square-foot.

As you might expect, the new Air Force One will be more capable than the last. After all, it needs to justify the $250 million cost of simply constructing the building over in Maryland, let alone the cost of the airplanes themselves. In terms of capabilities, Air Force One needs to be able to carry huge amounts of personnel and equipment, in addition to being able to fly long distances with ease.

These, therefore, have been key areas of focus for Boeing, and the advancements reveal some pretty amazing facts about the Air Force One aircraft and its new replacement. The new VC-25B airplanes will be able to travel a total 1,000 miles further per refuel than the outgoing VC-25A models. As it stands, Air Force One can travel as far as Tokyo from Washington, whereas the new model will be able to make it to Hong Kong. Not only that, but it'll do it faster too, with a maximum cruising speed of .855 Mach, as opposed to the current Air Force One's top speed when cruising of .84 Mach, making VC-25B the fastest commercial jet in the world. 

Maximum take-off weight is higher too, 154,000 pounds higher to be exact, allowing for a maximum of 987,000 pounds. These stats go some way to determine just how much more advanced the next Air Force One model will be, which should help to justify the huge expense of constructing that huge two-bay hangar over at Andrews Air Force base.