The US Air Force may have a difficult time finding more than one aircraft manufacturer to compete for replacing the Boeing VC-25A, also known as 'Air Force One', in a few years.
The US Air Force will start looking for a replacement for the current VC-25 Air Force One in 2015
So what will they take the A380 VIP or the 747-8
Moose,
Tom Enders, chief executive of the Toulouse, France–based Airbus company, made headlines recently when he told British newspaper The Guardian that Airbus was preparing to offer the new A380 superjumbo aircraft as the next Air Force One. I think this reputed "offer" by Airbus was more publicity stunt than anything. "I can't conceive of the U.S. President using anything else but an US built aircraft. Politically it would be a very hot potato to suggest that the US President flies in an Airbus A-380. With the economy the way it is and the big push for "Buying American" it will make it very hard for the Americans to swallow, even if the aircraft was assembled in the US. The one with the biggest headache is the procurement office of the Air Force. If they want real competition they will have to do a "tanker" bid and could risk another 10 year delay by botched bids, appeals etc.
My conclusion is that they will take the 747-800 and put every obstacle in way of getting a foreign aircraft to fly their President around the globe. This is an emotional issue for the American people, to see a foreign aircraft used for transporting their President is another blow to the nation and another affirmation of their diminishing world power.
BTW, I am Canadian
Gravity always wins!
I agree. There is just no way they will go for the A380. As much as its a European aircraft the Americans see it as French and as such it wont be popular with the American public. I can't imagine that EADS would really want to get involved again in a bidding process after the farce of the tanker competition!
I agree. There is no way that either Airbus based Heads of States will fly Boeing or the US President will fly Airbus. If at some future date, Airbus is actually manufacturing in the US the way the Japanese do with cars, then there is a chance for the product to be seen as American. The Presidential helicopter contract called for the EH101 to be assembled in the US which is far easier to do when you are building over a dozen examples. Air Force One will consist of only two aircraft.