Air Force One(s)??

[expat]

I'm sure not such a large plane is needed for just the president and a few others....

Aside from the image thing, AF1 has to be able to stay aloft for weeks, if necessary (yes, it has aerial refueling capability).... say, in the event of nuclear war

What about hydraulic fluid replenishment and more importantly, what about engine oil. Regardless of the engine type, oil is used at quite a rate..........in comparison to other internal combustion engines that is. A CFM 56 (737 of A320) for example can use up to two litres an hour and still be in limits. They would have to have quite an elaborate central oil replen system on the aircraft??

Matt

[garryrussell]

Rememebr also Air Force One is not an aircraft but callsign used by flights with the President aboard.

This aircraft maybe the primary choice but it it not in itself Airforce One.

[an-225]

Not to mention the always present fighter plane escort

Wrong - the VC-25 is rarely escorted. Only in cases of national emergencies, the VC-25 flies with an escort.

Really its only defenses are...

~ chaff
~ flares

It may have the technology on board to burn out heat-seeking missiles..

Now, 'get off my [read: the subject of this] plane' before the Secret Service comes knocking on Pete's door.  8-)

[Anxyous]

Don't forget the laser beam in the nose.

[an-225]

Don't forget the laser beam in the nose.

Uh...I don't see how the VC-25 is now the YAL-1.  ;)

[Anxyous]

That's because you don't work in the government  :-X

[Isak922]

The YAL-1 and the two VC-25's are completely different planes.

It takes a lot of storage area to contain the chemicals that power the YAL-1's laser; More room than the VC-25's have to spare.

Maybe sometime in the future, once we advance the technology a bit, will they be able to store a laser on a VC-25, or similar, plane. However, that time is not now.

[BFMF]

Isn't the callsign 'Executive One' used and reserved for when the President is flying on a civilian commercial aircraft?

[Ivan]

The YAL-1 and the two VC-25's are completely different planes.

It takes a lot of storage area to contain the chemicals that power the YAL-1's laser; More room than the VC-25's have to spare.

Maybe sometime in the future, once we advance the technology a bit, will they be able to store a laser on a VC-25, or similar, plane. However, that time is not now.

Ever read about laser functionality...

YAL-1 has a targeting computer in the top deck, mirror assembly (which does half the work for the targeting) in what is usually the first class cabin. Rest of the length is generators, capacitors and the boost section of the laser itself

[Anxyous]

MAN people can take things seriously over the internet

[VVM]

Not to mention the always present fighter plane escort

Wrong - the VC-25 is rarely escorted. Only in cases of national emergencies, the VC-25 flies with an escort.

Really its only defenses are...

~ chaff
~ flares

It may have the technology on board to burn out heat-seeking missiles..

Now, 'get off my [read: the subject of this] plane' before the Secret Service comes knocking on Pete's door.

[a1]

Isn't the callsign 'Executive One' used and reserved for when the President is flying on a civilian commercial aircraft?

I think so.

[C]

I'm sure not such a large plane is needed for just the president and a few others....

Aside from the image thing, AF1 has to be able to stay aloft for weeks, if necessary (yes, it has aerial refueling capability).... say, in the event of nuclear war

What about hydraulic fluid replenishment and more importantly, what about engine oil.

Modifications to allow inflight replenishment? In any case, if you had to be airborne that long, getting down again wouldn't be a major worry!

[loomex]

I receintly visited the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. I took the tour of the presidential and R&D hangers. For info on former Presidential aircraft and why its now called AF1 go to http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibi ... /index.asp

[an-225]

i believe there is more than just the chaffs and flares you mention.  where i work, we make defence systems for military aircraft, and there is stuff shipped out, and its final destination is kept secret.  it is believed that they eventually make their way to the vc-25s.

To be honest, there isn't much else in the way of anti-missile technology on board an airplane.

I do believe, it might be host to an ECM pod...but so far, the only defenses an airplane has are:

~ chaff
~ flares
~ ECM
~ lasers (I know FedEx aircraft that fly into the Middle East carry lasers, to burn out the seeker in a missile..)

Now I would love it, if the plane would override my control, in the case of a missile launch, and fly circles around the missile, just like in Air Force One.