Originally Posted by
roger4
Aren't all five going to have to be conversions of existing BBJ airframes? The E-7 Wedgetail is based on the 737NG (700ER or 700BBJ variants) which is no longer in production.
Boeing still has a low-rate line producing 737s for P-8/E-7 conversions - based on the 737 NG. So new build aircraft are still available.
Isn't the replacement Air Force 1 an ex Russian order.?
Yes, as roger4 notes, the AF1 747-8 Intercontinentals were built for the Russian airline Transaero - which declared bankruptcy shortly before they were to be delivered.
One was used as a backdrop during Boeing's 100th anniversary back in 2016 - before being stored in the desert.
I believe at least one has been moved from the desert to San Antonio, Texas for the AF1 conversion (dual APUs, airstairs, aerial refueling, and a bunch of other stuff I can't talk about).