 | Air Force One: Encyclopedia II - Air Force One - Analogues in other countries
Air Force One - Analogues in other countries
No other mode of transportation for government executives is as well-known as Air Force One; most nations, even industrialized ones, do not maintain a separate aircraft for heads of state and government, although most have a military "VIP fleet" that provides aircraft when senior government officials must travel.
Air Force One - Argentina
Argentina operates a small fleet of aircraft and helicopters for the use of the President,family, and senior government officials. This group is known as Agrupación Aérea Presidencial (Presidential Air Group), and belongs to the Argentine Air Force, but comes under the administration of the Casa Militar ("Military House"), the department responsible for Presidential security and transportation. The current Presidential fleet includes a Boeing 757 popularly known as Tango 01 after its military registry, "T-01" (the "T" stands for "Transport", and is pronounced "Tango" in the NATO Alphabet), a Rockwell Sabreliner, a Fokker F28 and two helicopters, one Sikorsky S-70 and one Sikorsky S-76. Tango 01 has been at times an object of political contention (even a campaign issue during the 1999 Presidential elections), since many politicians and media commentators decry the aircraft as an unnecessary luxury; while others point at the discretion with which the plane is used by several Presidents, their families and their friends and allies for non-official purposes.
Tango-01, however, experienced engine trouble over Israel and is currently stranded in that nation. In the meantime, two chartered Boeing 747s operated by Aerolineas Argentinas currently serve the Presidential transport role. [1]
Air Force One - Australia
In 2002, the Royal Australian Air Force acquired two new Boeing Business Jets fitted with facilities such as conference tables, offices suites, secure satellite and communication capabilities for use by Australian officials, especially the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Governor-General. The two planes also had a range capability more than that of other Boeing Business Jets. The Prime Minister regularly uses the jets for both domestic and international travel.
The aircraft are also made available to the British royal family (who are considered Australian Royals when in Australia), and were recently utilized by Prince Charles in 2005. The planes are operated by the No. 34 Squadron RAAF (which also operates a number of smaller VIP aircraft), based at Fairbairn Airbase, Canberra. The prime minister previously flew in custom-configured Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 707s that were larger than the 737s currently in use.
Air Force One - Canada
The Canadian Air Force's 437 Squadron opperates one of five Airbus A310-300s (CC-150 Polaris) in a VIP configuration for the transport of the Prime Minister, high ranking government officials and foreign dignitaries[2]. In Addition, 412 Squadron operates four Bombardier Challenger 604 business jets (CC-144)[3] for VIP transport.
Air Force One - Brazil
Brazil has had presidential aircraft since 1941, when Getulio Vargas purchased a Lockheed Lodestar. In 1959, president Juscelino Kubitschek replaced it with two Vickers Viscounts. In 1967, Artur da Costa e Silva acquired a BAC-111, which was used until 1976, when president Ernesto Geisel replaced it with two Boeing 737-200. In 1986, president Jose Sarney purchased a Boeing 707, which was known as Sucatão (Big Junk). The 707 was used until May of 2003, when president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva replaced it for a brand new Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner, which despite being officially named Santos Dumont, is called Aerolula, in reference to the president's nickname.
Air Force One - Burkina Faso
A Boeing 707-328C XT-BBF, operated by Naganagani, is used to transport the President of Burkina Faso.
Air Force One - France
France's officials travel with the Escadron de transport, d'entraînement et de calibrage (ETEC, "Transportation, training and calibration squadron"), a unit under direct orders of the Ministry of Defence. The ETEC uses 6 Falcon 900 for travels within Europe, and 2 Airbus A319 for medium or long range flights.
Air France chartered flights are also used by French officials, most notably the Concorde when it was still in service with that airline.
Air Force One - Germany
Germany's head-of-government uses the Konrad Adenauer, named after the first chancellor of (West) Germany. More broadly, the German air force's "standby airlifting unit" (Flugbereitschaft) has about a dozen business jets and helicopters to handle the transportation needs of German senior officials.
Air Force One - Japan
Japan maintains two 747-47C (20-1101 and 20-1102) aircraft for the Prime Minister, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and other Government Officials via the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The planes share a similar scheme to Air Force One: Japan spelled out in Kanji and English on the fuselage, a red stripe painted across the windows from nose to tail, and the Hinomaru on the tail and both wings.
Air Force One - Netherlands Kingdom of the
The Dutch government operates a Fokker 70(F28-0070) as a means of transport for the Dutch Royal family and government officials, such as the prime minister and other ministers. It is used to attend international conferences, but also for trips by the queen and the prince royal. The callsign is PH-KBX; PH for the Netherlands and KBX for 'Koningin BeatriX' or 'Queen Beatrice'. The aircraft is maintained by Martinair.
Air Force One - People's Republic of China
A used Boeing 767 was purchased by the People's Republic of China government for use by President Jiang Zemin in 2000. An international incident occurred in 2001 when the government claimed it had discovered 27 bugs embedded in the aircraft's interior; the plane had been refitted in San Antonio, Texas.
Air Force One - United Kingdom
The Royal Air Force has historically been responsible for Royal and executive transportation with its Vickers VC-10 aircraft for long-range travel and No. 32 Squadron's BAe 146 and BAe 125 aircraft for short range trips.
With the military burden on the VC-10 fleet increasing as the number of aircraft in service decreases (and their increasing obsolescence), the Prime Minister and Royal Family have increasingly used chartered British Airways jets for long range travel (typically Boeing 777s). Attempts by Tony Blair to acquire a dedicated government airliner have been reported as long ago as 1998 and such an aircraft has been labelled "Blair Force One" by the media. [4] In 2003 then Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee that a military aircraft with advanced communications available to the Prime Minister was a necessary expense. [5]
The Concorde was also notably used to transport the Prime Minister from time to time, particularly to international conferences abroad; it should be noted, however, that Concordes were chartered from British Airways much like the Boeing 777 is currently.
Air Force One - Vatican
Whenever the Pope flies on a plane, it is nicknamed "Shepherd One." Typically, it is a chartered Alitalia jumbo jet, however, the nickname follows the Pope to smaller craft when necessary to land at small airports, for example, Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories in 1984 (aborted by fog) and 1988, when a Boeing 737 was used.
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 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Analogues in other countries", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
