Yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress that it’s time to buy the President a new fleet of aircraft.
“There clearly is a need for a new presidential aircraft,” Gates said, reports Fox News. “We actually have some money in the budget in 2011 to begin looking at a new Air Force One. That money will clearly ramp up in the — in the next few years as we move in that direction.”
The Boeing Co. has been the jet maker of choice for the presidential fleet, which currently consists of customized Boeing 747-200 jets. But those jumbo jets are more than 20 years old.
The Pentagon began searching for a new Air Force One aircraft last year. That had prompted speculation that Europe’s Airbus would put in a bid. But Airbus’ parent company, EADS, said it had no plans to put in an offer.
Today, EADS is considering whether to bid for the $35 billion U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tanker contest. Boeing plans to offer a 767-based tanker. The Pentagon is expected to decide soon whether to extend its deadline to accommodate EADS since the European company’s partner, Northrop Grumman, dropped out.
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