The secret history of the Air Force One shadow fleet
Service officials do not acknowledge the existence of four of the world's most prominent Boeing 757s.
MARCUS WEISGERBER | JANUARY 17, 2024
Minutes after Air Force One takes off from anywhere in the world, another blue-and-white aircraft emblazoned with “United States of America” typically follows to far less fanfare.
That’s the way the Air Force likes it. That trailing plane is one of a quartet of bespoke Boeing 757s whose existence service officials don’t acknowledge. And although the four aircraft are well known to plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts, they’re getting harder to track.
The planes’ mission is broadly understood. They fly the U.S. president to cities and towns whose airport runways are too short for the Boeing 747s more commonly associated with the Air Force One mission, and they regularly serve as backup if a larger plane breaks down.
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2024/01/secret-history-air-force-one-shadow-fleet/393372/?oref=d1-homepage-top-story
