Biden Contemptuous of Red, White, and Blue
The Biden administration—after sending over $2-billion in war aid to Ukraine— has scrapped President Donald Trump’s red, white and blue design for the new generation of presidential aircraft. Biden—who pays seventy White House staffers almost $7-million to create and manage his social media content—made the tediously partisan move after an Air Force review suggested the paint-scheme—of all things—would raise costs and delay the delivery of two 747-800s Boeing is currently modifying to replace the existing Presidential fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft.
Trump, in 2018, directed that the new Air Force One aircraft shed the iconic Kennedy-era robin’s egg blue and white design for a deeper navy and streak of dark red—colors evocative of the American flag. Trump’s plan would have seen the Presidential Aircraft sport a white, upper-half, a dark-blue lower-half, and a bold-red, longitudinal stripe separating the two color-fields.
“The baby blue doesn’t fit with us,” Trump stated in 2019 after unveiling sketches of his redesign for the Air Force One’s exterior.
The Air Force study by which Biden is rationalizing his petty and protracted vendetta against his predecessor alleges the shade of blue Trump proposed for the plane’s underbelly and engines would create heating issues for the aircraft, requiring costly redesigns and additional delays to the already behind-schedule program. The report offers no explanation for the facts that the Air Force One replacement program is already hundreds of millions of dollars over-budget and years behind schedule.
In any case, after serving five presidents for nearly three decades, the current, highly modified Boeing 747-200Bs that fly the commander-in-chief [Air Force designation VC-25A] are being retired.
Comes now the larger, more efficient VC-25B, a dazzlingly expensive, chronically delayed aircraft that lacks several of its predecessor’s key capabilities—most notably the ability to refuel in flight. This surprising handicap derives of the fact that the VC-25B air-frames lack the structural reinforcements necessary for air-to-air refueling. Parties baffled by the omission are encouraged to read on.
In a cost-saving effort, the US Air Force—rather than tasking Boeing with the construction of new air-frames—purchased two, undelivered 747-8s from the Seattle aerospace giant. The two aircraft, formerly slated for international service with the now defunct Russian airline, Transaero, will be fitted-out with telecommunications and security equipment, then pressed into presidential service some time after 2025.
Practicality and tactical considerations aside, the fact extant air-frames cannot be retrofitted to accommodate air-to-air refueling seem of little concern to this President.
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