The U.S. government is reportedly eyeing a new presidential aircraft, as the current one nears the age of 30
+ READ ARTICLEThe current Air Force One will turn 30 in 2017, and the new president might get a new jetliner, CNN reported.
The plane—one of the most recognizable symbols of the U.S. presidency—is due for a replacement. Part command center, part method of transportation, the plane must be able to travel anywhere in the world, land at big and small airports, and have defense capabilities.
Capable of refueling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and is equipped with hardened on-board electronics to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, Bloomberg said.
The plane has been at the center of many landmark events in decades past. After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the next president on board the plane, and more recently, George W. Bush used today’s version, a modified Boeing 747, to fly back to Washington on 9/11.