EADS will NOT bid for Airforce 1

www.flightglobal.com...

[quotw]EADS North America (NA) will abstain from an opportunity to usurp Boeing as the next supplier for the US presidential aircraft fleet.

The US-based subsidiary of the European conglomerate, which includes Airbus, confirmed the company will not respond to a US Air Force request for information. The RFI is the first step in the process to acquire a replacement after 2017 for the Boeing 747-200-based VC-25 fleet, also known as Air Force One (AF-1).


hmmm , in this game of politics , is this the first step towards them actually getting the tanker contract?

Could be but there is NOTHING more politcal than the presidents ride IMHO and this would be ripe for a huge battle if they went with say an A380.

The best airframe IMHO would be a Concord with inflight refuling capacity. Ultra fast and it would limit the flying circus that flies with the president right now. Intercepting the aircraft by a hostile force would require alot.

Then have a prepositioned C-17 converted to VIP status for flying to smaller destiantions.

Thats just my thoughs.

It will be an 747-8I for the next AF one ill bet dollars to donuts.

reply to post by FredT


Concorde would be too small for a President's needs as well as the staff and crew. Perhaps a larger version maybe.

Presidential Concorde, built by the UK and French, im sure that would go down well.
Why not go whole hog and buy the second AN-225 that they are finishing.

Jensy