Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/901315
they will probably receive a military designation of VC-25B. The agreement, defined as a continuation of the process of analysis and preparation for production, did not reveal the price, which was kept confidential as business secret. According to the information, the process of upgrade is to start in 2019, and the planes will be ready to fly with POTUS on board in 2024. The requirements set by the US Air Force include installation of a new communication system, modernization of the on- board power supply system, furnishing of an on- board doctor's surgery, arrangement of rooms to carry VIPs, installation of a self-defense system and a system that grants autonomy in performing airport operations. According to declarations, both airframe units will come from Boeing's resources. The manufacturer's spokesperson said that both were sold "at a significant discount". The catalog price of a single 747-8I is ~400 million dollars – so apart from limiting the purchase to two aircraft, the decision to purchase them on the "secondary" market was the last element of savings in the project. USA will be yet another country that uses 747-8I planes to carry state VIPs. So far, Boeing has sold nine aircraft in this segment. They are used in e.g. Kuwait, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Apart from a pair of VC-25As, USAF has one more special version of the Boeing 747-200 at AVIATION