What kind of aircraft does the Secretary of Defense Fly?
For long-distance domestic travel and international trips, the Secretary of Defense uses one of four modified Boeing 747-200B aircraft with the military designation of E4-B. These aircraft are specially fitted to serve as National Emergency Airbourne Command Posts during wartime.
What kind of plane does the Secretary of State travel on?
The U.S. Secretary of State is supposed to travel, on official business, on a U. S. Government plane that is affiliated with the Air Force One and Air Force Two and Marine Helicopter Fleets. The planes for the Secretary of State, etc. are usually smaller than the Air Force Ones and Air Force Twos.
What is the United States Secretary of Defense?
The United States secretary of defense ( SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet.
Which aircraft does the US government use?
The most notable user of the fleet is the President of the United States who flies on a modified Boeing 747 under the call sign Air Force One when the president is on board. Other aircraft include modified Boeing, Gulfstream, and Bombardier aircraft that fly high-ranking officials in the government and military.
What plane does the secretary of state use?
C-32AThe primary users of the C-32A are the vice president of the United States (using the call sign "Air Force Two" when aboard), the first lady, and the secretary of state.
What is the Doomsday Plane called?
Boeing E-4BThe "Doomsday Planes", otherwise known as the "Nightwatch" aircraft, or more accurately the Boeing E-4B "Advanced Airborne Command Post" (AACP), a militarized version of the Boeing 747-200, are strategic command and control military aircraft flown by the United States Air Force (USAF).
What plane does the vice president use?
Boeing 757-200 planeOver the years, several different planes have carried the Air Force Two title, transporting vice presidents and their staff around the world. The most commonly-used jet today is a C-32, a customized military version of a commercial Boeing 757-200 plane.
What is the plane that tailgates Air Force One?
E-B4 Advanced Airborne Command PostThe aircraft popularly called the “Doomsday” plane always follows Air Force One. This plane (there are reportedly four of them in existence), the E-B4 Advanced Airborne Command Post, is an airborne nuclear bunker and command center that was designed at the height of the Cold War to resist a nuclear attack.
Does Air Force One carry the beast?
They are capable of vertical take-off and landing, and are designed to combine the functions of a helicopter with the range of a turboprop aircraft. Once on the ground, President Biden usually transfers from Air Force One or Marine One to Cadillac One - nicknamed The Beast.
Does Air Force 1 have an escape pod?
The actual Air Force One does not have an escape pod.
Is Air Force One escorted by fighter jets?
Kenneth Walsh: No, it is actually very unusual for Air Force One to be escorted by fighter jets. On 9/11 there were fighter escorts almost all day -- especially after the initial hour or two, but it is rare. The reason is that it is considered too hazardous to fly fighter jets through heavily trafficked American skies.
Who protects Air Force One?
the Presidential Airlift GroupAir Force One is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The Airlift Group was founded in 1944 as the Presidential Pilot Office at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
What is Air Force One called without the president?
Planes carrying the vice president are designated as. When VC-25A or the currently under development VC-25B are in the air but not carrying the president, air traffic controllers may refer to them by their tail numbers, Special Air Missions (SAM) 28000 and 29000, or by a call sign of their choosing.
What is the USA Doomsday Plane?
E-4B NightwatchCommonly referred to as the “Doomsday planes,” these E-4B Nightwatch aircraft typically fly the defense secretary or the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff around the world.
Does Russia have a Doomsday Plane?
The Doomsday plane is a planned Airborne Command Post to be operated by the Russian Air Force. It is based on the Ilyushin Il-96-400-M commercial aircraft airframe and is scheduled to replace the older Ilyushin Il-80 models introduced in the early 1990s.
Can Air Force 1 survive a nuclear bomb?
The aircraft can remain aloft for days and is designed to withstand the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast. It conducts routine training and readiness missions. At least one is kept on 24/7 readiness.
Does the U.S. have a Doomsday plane?
ABOARD AN E-4B NIGHTWATCH JET OVER THE GREAT PLAINS — Sixty years after the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, one of the U.S. military's most unique airplanes is still standing guard in case of catastrophe.
Is there such thing as a Doomsday plane?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Doomsday plane is an unofficial denomination of a class of aircraft which is used as an Airborne Command Post in an event of nuclear war, disaster or other large scale conflict that threatens key military and government infrastructure.
What is Putin's Doomsday plane?
The Doomsday plane is a planned Airborne Command Post to be operated by the Russian Air Force. It is based on the Ilyushin Il-96-400-M commercial aircraft airframe and is scheduled to replace the older Ilyushin Il-80 models introduced in the early 1990s.
Where is the Doomsday plane kept?
The four E-4Bs are operated by the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the 595th Command and Control Group located at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska. An E-4B when in action is denoted a "National Airborne Operations Center".
What is the name of the plane that the President uses to travel to domestic destinations?
The aircraft also occasionally serves as Air Force One in place of the larger VC-25A when the president is traveling to domestic destinations that cannot accommodate the larger Boeing 747 -derived presidential plane. Little is known of the missions of the secretive C-32B, whose existence is not officially acknowledged by the Air Force.
Who is on the C-32A?
The primary users of the C-32A are the vice president of the United States (using the call sign " Air Force Two " when aboard), the first lady, and the secretary of state. On rare occasions, other members of the president's Cabinet and members of Congress have flown aboard the C-32A for various missions. The aircraft also occasionally serves as Air Force One in place of the larger VC-25A when the president is traveling to domestic destinations that cannot accommodate the larger Boeing 747 -derived presidential plane.
What plane was used to respond to the 2020 explosion in Beirut?
The Foreign Emergency Support Team boarding a C-32B to respond to the 2020 explosion in Beirut.
How many seats are there in the C-32B?
The 45-seat C-32B Gatekeeper provides airlift to the U.S. government's Gate Keeper (GK) mission, a special access program which provides clandestine support to foreign nations through unclassified State Department Foreign Emergency Support Team missions and classified special operations and intelligence missions. The aircraft are operated by two different units, the New Jersey Air National Guard's 150th Special Operations Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, and the 486th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The C-32Bs operate at the direction of the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, though when serving a civilian agency, approval for the use of the aircraft is on the recommendation of the committee of Deputy Secretaries of Defense with the consent of the Secretary of Defense. The development of the two aircraft emerged from the 2001 Air Force budget, where they were procured for $144.963 million to fill an Air Force request for transportation capabilities for the Foreign and Domestic Emergency Support Teams. The Gate Keeper mission predates the aircraft, which are successors to previous fleets based on other models of aircraft. The planes have been spotted throughout the world, including such locations as Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range, as well as nearly every continent. The C-32B became known during the George W. Bush administration for unsubstantiated theories which circulated that they were connected to the CIA's extraordinary rendition flights, giving them the nickname “torture taxi.”
What happened to the C-32A?
Several C-32A's have suffered non-life threatening equipment failures during VIP flight operations which lead to aircraft returning to Andrews Air Force Base prematurely. In 2018, first lady Melania Trump and Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar were aboard a C-32A flying to Philadelphia when smoke filled the cabin shortly after takeoff. Journalists aboard reported being given wet towels to shield their faces from the smoke, and the flight returned to Andrews without further incident. In 2021, vice president Kamala Harris was aboard a C-32A en route to Guatemala when the aircraft was forced to make an emergency return to Andrews over an unspecified equipment failure which delayed the trip but left all passengers and crew unharmed.
How much did the C-32A cost?
During the Obama and Trump Administrations, much of the interiors of the C-32A's were controversially refitted with more luxurious materials and accommodations, at a cost of $16 million per aircraft .
What are the serial numbers on a Boeing 737?
Serial numbers appearing on the aircraft in the past have included: 00-9001, 98-6006, 99-6143, 02-5001, and 02-4452.
What is the role of the Secretary of Defense?
Subject only to the orders of the president, the secretary of defense is in the chain of command and exercises command and control, for both operational and administrative purposes, over all service branches administered by the Department of Defense – the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force – as well as the Coast Guard when its command and control is transferred to the Department of Defense. The office holder is seen as the de facto deputy commander in chief of the US military Only the secretary of defense (or the president or Congress) can authorize the transfer of operational control of forces between the three military departments ( Department of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force) and the eleven Unified Combatant Commands. Because the secretary of defense is vested with legal powers that exceed those of any commissioned officer, and is second only to the president in the military hierarchy, its incumbent has sometimes unofficially been referred to as "deputy commander-in-chief ". The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principal military adviser to the secretary of defense and the president; while the chairman may assist the secretary and president in their command functions, the chairman is not in the chain of command.
What is the Department of Defense?
The Department of Defense is composed of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the Joint Staff (JS), Office of the Inspector General (DODIG), the Combatant Commands, the Military Departments ( Department of the Army (DA), Department of the Navy (DON) & Department of the Air Force (DAF)), the Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities, the National Guard Bureau (NGB), and such other offices, agencies, activities, organizations, and commands established or designated by law, or by the president or by the secretary of defense.
How much does the Secretary of Defense make in 2021?
Secretary of Defense is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$ 221,400, as of January 2021.
What was the name of the military branch that was separated from the Army?
The Act also separated the Army Air Forces from the Army to become its own branch of service, the United States Air Force .
How long does it take to become a secretary of defense?
As the secretary of defense is a civilian position intended to be independent of the active-duty leadership, a secretary is required to have been retired from service for at least seven (originally ten) years unless a waiver is approved by Congress. Since the creation of the position in 1947, such a waiver has been approved only three times, for Army general George Marshall in 1950, Marine Corps General Jim Mattis in 2017, and retired Army general Lloyd J. Austin III in 2021.
When was the last major revision of the statutory framework concerning the position of commissioned officer?
The last major revision of the statutory framework concerning the position was done in the Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. In particular, it elevated the status of joint service for commissioned officers, making it in practice a requirement before appointments to general officer and flag officer grades could be made.
When did Trump change the succession order for the Secretary of Defense?
Secretary succession. On December 10, 2020, President Donald Trump modified the order of succession for the office of Secretary of Defense in an Executive Order (unnumbered as of December 15, 2020). The order of succession is: #. Office. 1.
What aircraft does the US military use?
The US military operates a fleet of VIP civilian aircraft converted to military use in addition to its warfighting, troop transport, and cargo planes. The most notable user of the fleet is the President of the United States who flies on a modified Boeing 747 under the call sign Air Force One when the president is on board.
What is the most famous aircraft in the military?
The most notable converted civilian aircraft in the military's fleet is a VC-25 used by the president of the United States, known to many as Air Force One.
What is private aircraft?
Private aircraft are often tools of the rich and famous to travel the world luxuriously without hindrance, but they also have a major role in the Unit ed States Armed Forces . In addition to its warfighting, troop transport, and cargo aircraft, the military operates a fleet of converted civilian aircraft for use by VIP government officials, ...
How many passengers can a C-40B carry?
The range of the aircraft is 4,500-5,000 nautical miles, according to the Air Force, which is comparable to the VC-32, and it can over 100 passengers depending on the configuration. The C-40B is known for its extensive communications apparatus and is referred to as an "office in the sky" by the Air Force .
Why does the Air Force have two VC-25s?
The Air Force has two of the aircraft in its fleet to ensure the president can always access his flagship plane. The two VC-25s are identical on the inside and travel together frequently on presidential missions.
Where are the US military jets based?
The small fleet of three aircraft is solely based in Afghanistan, far from the other converted private jet aircraft based in Washington.
Who uses the C-40 clipper?
The C-40 Clipper is seldom used by the president and vice president, with cabinet secretaries, military leaders, elected officials, and other high-ranking government officials using the aircraft instead.
Leaders
The secretary of defense oversees the Defense Department and acts as the principal defense policymaker and adviser.
Major Elements of OSD
See how other leaders accomplish the DOD mission by visiting the websites below.
What plane does the Secretary of State fly?
Typically, the Secretary of State flies a Boeing C-32 Air Force plan with a VIP interior layout. It’s the same plane that is used by the Vice President (as Air Force Two) and the First Lady.
What plane does Secstate use?
On official business, SecState is entitled to transport by the Air Force’s VIP transport fleet. His “official” plane is a honking great Boeing 757 specially configured for VIP transport. He may or may not have one of his “own,” that is one dedicated to his personal use; or maybe he gets whichever 757 is handy in the “pool,” as several other people ...
Where did the Vice President live?
Number One Observatory Circle, also called “the Admiral’s House,” on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, became the vice president’s official residence in 1974. The first vice president to live there was Walter Mondale.
Can a vice president be sidelined?
The Vice President hasn't gained any additional Constitutional powers, so a Vice President can be sidelined at any time if the President loses confidence in them. But in practice, the President needs the help, and VPs are usually people with significant political influence in their own right.
Did the Vice President have a tiebreaker vote?
history, this wasn't even a close contest. The Vice President had very little to do beyond waiting in the wings and inquiring about the health of the President. The Vice President only had one Constitutional power - to preside over the Senate and cast tiebreaker votes there.
Is Blair House a vice president's house?
Contrary to the answer provided by Quora User, Blair House is not the vice president’s house; it’s a guest house for visiting heads of state.
Does the President have a private plane?
None of them, not even the President, has a "private plane". Rather, the 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force provides transportation services for the President, Vice President, and certain other high ranking individuals, using a fleet of aircraft it maintains for that purpose.
What is Red Flag 21-3?
Red Flag 21-3, which is making use of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), is a U.S. forces-centric version of the exercise and is employing F-117 Nighthawks in an aggressor role. Usually, a press team will be is onboard the E-4B if it’s taking the Secretary of Defense on an overseas tour, and the arrival of such an entourage at ...
What is the role of Nightwatch jets?
Also among their roles, the Nightwatch jets are often employed as a means of transporting the Secretary of Defense to foreign countries. You can read more about the E-4Bs and their missions, which are an essential component of overarching continuity of government plans, in this past War Zone piece. FLIGHTAWARE.
Where did the E-4B fly from?
The E-4B’s flight from Andrews Air Force Base to TTR.
Has the Secretary of Defense visited Tonopah?
This would not be the first time a Secretary of Defense has quietly visited components of the NTTR to look at what is waiting in the shadows in terms of next-generation air combat capabilities, but we have never known of a visit to Tono pah and especially aboard an E-4B.
Did the E-4B fly into TTR?
Another option is that the E-4B flew into TTR without the Secretary of Defense on board. Either way, we now also have an indication that the aircraft departed the Nevada base after only a few hours, taking off at around 3:00 PM local time, according to online flight-tracking sources.
What planes does Angola use?
The government of Angola operates a Bombardier Global Express, De Havilland Canada Dash 8, Gulfstream III and Dassault Falcon 7X. Before, a Boeing 707 was used for VIP transport. Officials occasionally also tend to hire private jets from companies such as DeerJet, Aviation Link or Royal Jet.
What aircraft does Algeria use?
The government of Algeria operates an Airbus A340-500. They also can use a number of Gulfstreams, ATRs and Dassault Falcon 900s. Upon their request, officials can also occasionally travel on rented Air Algerie aircraft.
How many aircraft does the Czech Air Force have?
The Czech Air Force operates two Airbus A319CJs, a Bombardier Challenger 600, two Yakovlev Yak-40 aircraft and Mil Mi-8 helicopters for VIP transport, primarily that of the President, Prime Minister, and members of Government and Parliament of the Czech Republic .
How many aircraft does the President of Azerbaijan have?
The President of Azerbaijan has three aircraft dedicated for his use: an Airbus A319 "Baku" owned directly by the government, a Boeing 767-300ER "Baku-1" owned directly by the government, and a leased Airbus A340-600 "Baku-8".
How many passengers can a Beechcraft King Air 300 carry?
The Guatemalan President usually travels in a Guatemalan Air Force Beechcraft King Air 300 turboprop aircraft, with capacity for 10 passengers, for international travels, or in a Guatemalan Air Force Bell 412 helicopter for travels inside Guatemala.
What was the military house called?
This set of aircraft was known as the Agrupación Aérea Presidencial (Spanish for Presidential Air Group) and belonged to one of the Departments of the Presidency, called the Military House ( (in Spanish) Casa Militar ). This was responsible for the presidential security and transportation.
Which aircraft did Libya use?
The government of Libya operated an Airbus A340-200 and a Dassault Falcon 900 EX in 2015.
Where are the Doomsday planes based?
The planes are based out of this Air Force Base, which is also home to U.S. Strategic Command, and was the longtime home of U.S. Strategic Air Command, just south of Omaha. CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman got a rare opportunity to look inside and out of one of the Doomsday planes as part of Road Trip 2013. 2 of 27 Daniel Terdiman/CNET.
How many NAOC planes are there?
Though there are four NAOC planes in the military's fleet, all four are almost never operational at one time. Usually, at least one of the planes is being worked on. But even having three together at once, as seen here, is a somewhat rare event.
How long does it take to fly a Doomsday plane?
The plane has a number of bunks for crew rest. If necessary, the Doomsday planes can be refueled while aloft, extending their flying time to well more than ten hours.
What is a NOAC plane?
The NOAC planes are similar to the president's Air Force One but actually have a more sophisticated communications package, including a few more antennae. This chart shows the full range of communications that are possible on board the plane. Essentially, it is outfitted to communicate across the entire range of electromagnetic capabilities in order to ensure that the command and control leadership are able to talk to their forces, regardless of the situation.
What is a milstar?
According to the Air Force, Milstar "is a joint service satellite communications system that provides secure, jam resistant, worldwide communications to meet essential wartime requirements for high priority military users.
What will happen if America ever fights a nuclear war?
If America ever fights a nuclear war, military leaders will run command and control from the National Airborne Operations Center. CNET Road Trip 2013 got a look inside one of the very special planes.
What is the National Airborne Operations Center?
That's precisely what the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) is all about. A set of four E-4Bs -- which are Boeing 747-200s modified ...
Overview
C-32A
The C-32A is the military designation for the Boeing 757-2G4, a variant of the Boeing 757-200, a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner—that has been modified for government VIP transport use, including a change to a 45-passenger interior and military avionics. A contract was awarded in August 1996 for four aircraft supplemented by the smaller C-37A and later C-40 Clipper t…
C-32B Gatekeeper
The 45-seat C-32B Gatekeeper provides airlift to the U.S. government's Gate Keeper (GK) mission, a special access program which provides clandestine support to foreign nations through State Department Foreign Emergency Support Team missions and classified special operations and intelligence missions. The aircraft are operated by two different units, the New Jersey Air N…
Operators
United States
• C-32A
• C-32B
Specifications
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003-04, USAF Museum factsheet
General characteristics
• Crew: 2 + 1 jump seat + 13 mission crew
• Capacity: 45
• Length: 155 ft 3 in (47.32 m)
See also
Related development
• Boeing 757
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
• Boeing VC-25
• Boeing C-40 Clipper
External links
• U.S. Air Force C-32 factsheet. US Air Force, 12 May 2015.
• Footage of a C-32B being refueled in flight
History
Powers and Functions
- The secretary of defense, appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, is by federal law (10 U.S.C. § 113) the head of the Department of Defense, "the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to Department of Defense", and has "authority, direction and control over the Department of Defense". Because the Constitution vests all military authority in …
Salary
- Secretary of Defense is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$221,400, as of January 2021.
List of Secretaries of Defense
- The longest-serving secretary of defense is Robert McNamara, who served for a total of 7years, 39 days. Combining his two non-sequential services as the secretary of defense, the second-longest serving is Donald Rumsfeld, who served just ten days fewer than McNamara. The second-longest unbroken tenure was Caspar Weinberger's, at 6years, 306 days. The shortest-serving sec…
Succession
- Presidential succession
The secretary of defense is sixth in the presidential line of succession, following the secretary of the treasury and preceding the attorney general. - Secretary succession
On December 10, 2020, President Donald Trump modified the order of succession for the office of Secretary of Defense in Executive Order 13963. The order of succession is:
Further Reading
- Cohen, Eliot A. (2003). Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen and Leadership in Wartime. New York: Anchor Books. ISBN 978-1-4000-3404-8.
- Cole, Alice C.; Goldberg, Alfred; Tucker, Samuel A.; et al., eds. (1978). The Department of Defense: Documents on Establishment and Organization 1944–1978 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Historical Office...
- Cohen, Eliot A. (2003). Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen and Leadership in Wartime. New York: Anchor Books. ISBN 978-1-4000-3404-8.
- Cole, Alice C.; Goldberg, Alfred; Tucker, Samuel A.; et al., eds. (1978). The Department of Defense: Documents on Establishment and Organization 1944–1978 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Historical Office...
- Department of Defense Key Officials September 1947 – February 2019 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense. January 30, 2019.
- Huntington, Samuel P. (1957). The Soldier and the State. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-81736-2.
