The informal agreement will be codified in a formal contract, outlining the terms and conditions with details. Specialities of Air Force One include its ability to fly in the most adverse external conditions including warfare. Post procurement, the plane will be modified with military avionics and state-of-the-art communication systems.
Earlier, the POTUS ordered to expunge the deal with Boeing citing the astronomical cost of building the new Air Force One planes — which, in a way, symbolizes the might of the White House. The market was quick to respond to the message, and Boeing’s stock price fell sharply.
The extensive negotiations that followed reportedly saved more than $1.4 billion for the government’s coffers. The USAF managed to secure a discount on the deal after Boeing’s original contract to supply the VC-25Bs, the military version of Boeing 747-8, to the Russian government fell apart.
After bagging the contract, the company tweeted, “Boeing is proud to build the next generation of Air Force One, providing American Presidents with a flying White House at outstanding value to taxpayers.”