Boeing wins contract for two Air Force One planes

It was announced by the American Air Force back in January 2015 that Boeing would be invited to build two 747-8 aircraft. These are to replace the two current 747-200Bs, designated VC-25A, which were ordered during the Regan Administration and delivered in 1990. Today it has been announced that Boeing have been awarded the contract to produce two versions of Air Force One planes which will be based on the 747-800.
According to the Pentagon’s daily digest of arms deals, the current contract is for Boeing to establish the value of tradeoffs between the requirements and design of the new planes with a view to reducing the cost of construction. This current contract is worth US$25.8m, though while the White House have set aside a budget of US$1.65bn for the two aircraft, the value of the overall Boeing contract is not yet known.
The 747-8 was the preferred choice of aircraft for a number of reasons, primarily through its four-engine configuration which is seen as having a higher safety factor than the more economical and popular twin-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 777. With the only other manufacturer of a similar four-engine aircraft being Airbus, Boeing were the obvious choice.
Air Force One is not actually the name of any specific aircraft but is the international call sign dating back to 1953 for any US Air Force plane which is carrying the Chief of Staff – the President of the US, Marine One being the call sign for the principal helicopter. However, it is now standard practice to use the term Air Force Ones to refer to planes specifically designed and equipped to transport the Commander-in-Chief. The 89th Airlift Wing are responsible for these planes and they are based out of Andrews Field, Maryland.
Today the Boeing 747 has relinquished its popularity as a passenger plane and is favored more by cargo carriers, the more economical twin-engine wide-body 777 now being the more common choice for passenger airlines. The aircraft has been in operation since 1970, and underwent a major design overhaul in 2012 to lengthen the body and fit new engines.