Russia seems to be intrinsically related to President Trump’s administration. This is even when the subject is other than the possible Russian meddling in the presidential election and the alleged collusion between proxies of Vladimir Putin and Trump’s top campaign officials, including his elder son Donald Trump Jr.
The new link between the two countries is related to the purchase of two brand-new aircrafts for the presidential office. The American Air Force will save some money in the acquisition buying two jetliners that were initially ordered by a Russian company that went bankrupt The Telegraph reports.
Safest airplane in the world
Boeing and the American Air force signed last week the deal for the purchase of the two aircrafts model 747-81, or "Jumbo" the nickname that made the company’s wide body jetliner famous. In order to serve the most powerful man in the world though, the President’s model will receive a lot of modifications. According to The Mail, the airplane will be fitted with anti-missile systems, and even advanced electromagnetic shielding, that may protect the prominent passengers from nuclear attacks, and believe it or not, from asteroids. Besides, the interior of the aircraft will be completed modified, with the installation of meeting rooms, a flying “oval office” and a complete suite for the President.
After the modifications, the model 747-81 that is the most modern of the series will become the VC-25, better known by Air Force One. Even though the Air Force uses that code to identify any aircraft carrying the President, the 747 serving became widely known as the Air Force 1, especially given its usage in the most important trips of the American leader.
Controversy over the price tag
The new presidential aircrafts were ordered by former President Barack Obama. During the campaign, then candidate Donald Trump said he would cancel the purchase given its cost that according to him had already surpassed the $4 billion mark. The pressure of the President led the Air Force and Boeing to redefine their agreement by picking the two aircrafts formerly destined to the Russian company for transforming them into new presidential jetliners.
The new price tag, as well as the former, was not disclosed.
No Spying devices
The aircrafts were ordered by Transaero in 2015, but the Russian company went bankrupt in the same year. The company was deep into debt, although its remarkable history: it was the first private airway in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, it had a flawless record on safety, having never registered a fatal accident between 1990 and 2015, something even more extraordinary considering the poor record of Russian companies in the nineties.
Today the presidential fleet has two modified 747-200 put into charge in 1990, what means that both are reaching the end of their useful lifespans. Before anyone says that the new aircrafts will come with brand-new Russian spying devices, Boeing has made a clarification: both are safely stored in company’s sheds in California, having never landed in Russia.
