Congress May Have The Last Say In The Matter

In a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on his renomination as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford told the committee that it was the White House, not the Air Force, that decided to cut aerial refueling capability from the new Air Force One Boeing 747s as a cost-saving measure.

The Air Force announced in August that it had reached a deal with Boeing to buy two inventory 747-8 aircraft that had been intended for a Russian airline but never delivered for the new Presidential planes, rather than having them built from the ground up. At the time, the Air Force said the aerial refueling capability would not be required, according to a report from The Military Times.

Dunford said the decision was made by the White House. "“I think it had to do with fiscal constraints on the program," he said.

General Dunford said that not having the capability to refuel Air Force One in flight, which would serve as a national command center and protect the President in case of an attack, "will certainly be a limiting factor and we’ll have to plan accordingly.”

But Congress may have the last word. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) said that "we might have to revisit that decision here on Capitol Hill."

The new airplanes are not expected to be in service until 2024, which would be after a second Trump term, should he run and be re-elected in 2020.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Story