C-37A
The C-37A, a military version of the Gulfstream V business jet will, along with the 1st Airlift Squadron's new C-32As, replace the wing's aging fleet of C-137s. The first C-37A, Tail No. 70400, arrived at Andrews AFB in July 1998, and a second model arrived in September. They will join the squadron's fleet of five C-20Bs, two C-20Hs and three C-9Cs. On 06 January 1999 Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. was awarded a $38,530,875 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract to provide for one C-37A aircraft and associated training and data with an expected contract completion date of 30 June 30 2000. The C-37A resembles the C-20H (Gulfstream IV), but is eight feet longer, with a wider wing span, a more advanced avionics package and greater performance capabilities, allowing the aircraft to carry up to 12 passengers a distance 50 percent greater than the C-20B models. A typical C-37A mission will able to fly 5,500 nautical miles without refueling, carrying Cabinet secretaries, congressional delegations or senior military leaders. First deliveries of the the ultra-long-range Gulfstream V to commercial customers began at the end of 1996. On 05 May 1997 -- Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation announced that the Gulfstream V, the world's first ultra-long range business jet, had been selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the VC-X program to expand the mission capability of the nation's Special Air Mission Wing. The selection by the USAF marked the first sale of the ultra-long range Gulfstream V to the military and opened this market worldwide for similar applications of this new aircraft. The initial contract is for two Gulfstream V aircraft with options for up to four additional units before 2003. The initial contract is valued at $68.9million. Including options, the total contract is valued at more than $275 million. Gulfstream will provide technical and logistics support, spare parts and overhaul services to the USAF for 10 years. With this aircraft, the 89th Airlift Wing is capable of taking senior leadership nonstop to areas of the world that previously required flying much larger aircraft. The key to C-37A's performance is its state-of-the-art wing design, improved aerodynamics and more powerful engines. The airframe is capable of low-speed, high-lift performance, high-altitude maneuverability and turbulence tolerance. The BMW/Rolls-Royce BR710-48 engines moves the C-37A at a cruising speed of 600 mph. Civilian versions of the aircraft have in a very short time set 15 world speed and distance records, including the first nonstop flight from New York to Tokyo. The Gulfstream V is the first aircraft of its kind, capable of cruising at altitudes up to 51,000 feet, high above most other air traffic, weather and adverse winds.
Despite its more powerful engines, the C-37A is very fuel-efficient. Passengers can comfortably travel in the aircraft at altitudes as high as 51,000 feet, taking advantage of better fuel consumption rates, explained Bigler.
C-37As come equipped with a number of features not found on any other business jets. The avionics system is a state-of-the-art Honeywell SPZ-8500 Flight Management System with an integrated full-function Heads-Up Display. The FMS allows crews to program computers to have the aircraft arrive at point in space at a specific time. They also come equipped with enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, and Microwave Landing System. Other important features include Tacan military navigation equipment and a military Identification Friend/Foe transponder. Full Authority Digital Engine Controls ensure critical engine operating parameters are maintained. The C-37A, like other Gulfstream Vs, meets the Extended Range with Two-Engine Airplanes standards, a criterion previously only met by larger commercial aircraft operating over long stretches of water.
Passengers will enjoy flying on what Gulfstream claims is the quietest aircraft in production. The twin engines are located aft of the cabin bulkheads; titanium mufflers and vibration isolators will eliminate hydraulic system noise. Insulated side panels, and re-engineered windows further eliminate outside noise. The interior package includes a passenger flight information display system that can feature real-time global positioning on a moving world map, weather updates and other important information.
The 89th Airlift Wing is the only unit in the Air Force to operate C-37 and C-32 aircraft.
The CINC Support Aircraft Replacement Program calls for a most probable quantity of five FAA certified commercial intercontinental passenger Aircraft accommodating a minimum of 12 passengers and 5 Crew in a working office environment and capable of dispatch on short notice to any suitable airfield in the world from operating locations at MacDill AFB, FL and Hickam AFB, HI. This aircraft shall have a 5000 NM range, a separate Distinguished Visitor (DV) area, and worldwide clear and secure voice, facsimile, and PC data passenger communications.C-32A
The C-32A, a military versions of Boeing's 757-200, have replaced the VC-137 aircraft that are being retired from the presidential airlift fleet. The new planes will carry cabinet members, secretaries, and other dignitaries stateside and around the world. The first of four C-32As left Boeing's Seattle plant 19 June 1998, and the second aircraft arrived at Andrews three days later. The remaining two C-32As arrived in November and December. The Air Force purchased the new aircraft, known to the civilian world as the Boeing 757-200, under a new streamlined acquisition procedure that saved money and allowed the aircraft to be purchased from the existing Boeing production line. Under the plan, the Air Force is treated the same as any commercial customer, from construction and painting to test and evaluation. The new aircraft, flown by the 89th Airlift Wing, were acquired through benchmark acquisition processes adopted as acquisition practices by other military services and government agencies. Specifically, the Air Force streamlined its acquisition techniques by developing requirements compatible with commercially available aircraft and components. The acquisition team that managed procurement of the C-32, with members from Aeronautical Systems Center's Mobility Mission Group, won the Vice Presidential Hammer Award for significantly reinventing the way the Air Force acquires aircraft.
The C-32A, configured for 45 passengers and 16 crew, is designed for a 4,150 nautical mile mission, roughly the distance from Andrews to Frankfurt, Germany. The aircraft is also Stage III noise level compliant. Inside the C-32A, communications take a front seat. The vice president, heads of state and other decision-makers can conduct business anywhere around the world using improved telephones, satellites, television monitors, facsimiles and copy machines. Additional equipment on the C-32As includes Tacan military navigation equipment, a military Identification Friend/Foe transponder, a UHF satellite communications radio, secure voice and data transmission capability, and a passenger flight information display system that airs videos and broadcasts real-time global positioning on a moving world map. Increased storage was also a priority when the designer included large storage areas in the overhead bins in the cabin and the cargo compartments below. Like many high-standing aircraft it's easy to see under and around the C-32A -- an important security factor for protecting the plane and its passengers. Heading the safety equipment list is the Traffic Collision Avoidance System that gives advance warning of possible air crashes.
The 757-200 is equipped with two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney 2040 engines, producing 41,700 pounds static thrust each. The aircraft is far more fuel efficient and quieter than the 707-based C-137s they are replacing. Each engine of the C-32A has 40,000 pounds of thrust, compared to the VC-137 engine that delivers 14,000 pounds. Yet, the C-32A's high-bypass-ratio engines, combined with an advanced wing design, help make the plane one of the quietest, most fuel-efficient jetliners in the world.
VC-137B/C Stratoliner
The VC-137 provides transportation for the vice president, cabinet and congressional members, and other high-ranking U.S. and foreign officials. It also serves as a backup for Air Force One, the presidential aircraft.
The VC-137B/C Stratoliner is a modified version of the Boeing 707 commercial intercontinental airliner that, for many years, was the presidential aircraft. Today, the president's aircraft, is the VC-25A. The VC-137B/C body is identical to that of the Boeing 707, but has different interior furnishings and electronic equipment. The passenger cabin is divided into three sections:
- The forward area has a communications center, galley, lavatory and an eight-seat compartment.
- The center section is designed as an airborne headquarters with conference tables, swivel chairs, projection screen for films and two convertible sofa-bunks.
- The rear section of the cabin contains double reclining passenger seats, tables, galley, two lavatories and closets. Partitions may be placed throughout the cabin for added privacy.
Background
In 1962, the first jet aircraft to be specifically purchased for use as "Air Force One," a VC-137B, entered service with the tail number 26000. It is perhaps the most widely known and has the most historical significance of the presidential aircraft. Tail number 26000 is the aircraft that carried President John F. Kennedy to Dallas, Nov. 22, 1963, and in which his body was returned to Washington, D.C., following his assassination. Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office as the 36th president of the United States on board 26000 at Love Field in Dallas. This fateful aircraft also was used to return President Johnson's body to Texas following his state funeral on Jan. 24, 1973. In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon made historic visits aboard 26000 to the People's Republic of China in February and to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in May.
Tail number 27000, a G model VC-137, replaced 26000 and carved its place in history when it was used to fly former Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter to Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 19, 1981, to represent the United States at the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
C-137 aircraft are modified B-707 aircraft with 1950's airframe technology that do not comply with FAA Stage 3 restrictions. Additionally, the FAA mandated aging aircraft inspections requirements negatively affect the maintainability and availability of the C-137 fleet. These aircraft are already expensive to fly, needing fuel stops and ground support equipment, and the resultant additional security and time required. A Statement of Need and Operational Requirements Document has been validated for replacing the C-137 with a VC-X aircraft. Therefore the 89th Airlift Wing will receive four new Boeing 757-200 aircraft in 1998 to be designated C-32As and two Gulfstream V aircraft to be designated C-37A.VC-25A - Air Force One
The mission of the VC-25A aircraft -- Air Force One -- is to provide air transport for the president of the United States. The presidential air transport fleet consists of two specially configured Boeing 747-200B's -- tail numbers 28000 and 29000 -- with the Air Force designation VC-25A. When the president is aboard either aircraft, or any Air Force aircraft, the radio call sign is "Air Force One."
Principal differences between the VC-25A and the standard Boeing 747, other than the number of passengers carried, are the electronic and communications equipment aboard Air Force One, its interior configuration and furnishings, self-contained baggage loader, front and aft air-stairs, and the capability for inflight refueling.
Accommodations for the president include an executive suite consisting of a stateroom (with dressing room, lavatory and shower) and the president's office. A conference/dining room is also available for the president, his family and staff. Other separate accommodations are provided for guests, senior staff, Secret Service and security personnel, and the news media. Two galleys provide up to 100 meals at one sitting. Six passenger lavatories, including disabled access facilities, are provided as well as a rest area and mini-galley for the aircrew. The VC-25A also has a compartment outfitted with medical equipment and supplies for minor medical emergencies.
These aircraft are flown by the presidential aircrew, maintained by the Presidential Maintenance Branch, and are assigned to Air Mobility Command's 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
The first VC-25A -- tail number 28000 -- flew as "Air Force One" on Sept. 6, 1990, when it transported President George Bush to Kansas, Florida and back to Washington, D.C. A second VC-25A, tail number 29000 transported President Bill Clinton and former Presidents Carter and Bush to Israel for the funeral of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The VC-25A will usher presidential travel into the 21st century, upholding the proud tradition and distinction of being known as "Air Force One." VC-25 aircraft are extensively modified B-747-200s with the basic airframe technology of the 1960s. The aircraft incorporates state-of-the-art avionics and communications equipment with Stage III compliant engines. Boeing is currently delivering B-747s throughout the world, so the logistics support base appears secure for the foreseeable future. With the continuing march of technology and the prestige attached to the U.S. Presidential airlift fleet, Air Force plans recommend a system review date of 2010. At this point, the aircraft will have been in service 20 years, and commercial operators will have retired their B-747-200s counterparts from front-line service.