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The Boeing 747, acclaimed as an airline pioneer, has
proven highly adaptable to military roles. Derivatives of the 747
serve as VIP transports for Governments, as
Advanced Airborne National Command Post, and
as dual-role cargo/tanker aircraft. Concieved as a military aircraft
for the requirement which produced Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in the late
1960's, the 747 was developed by Boeing as a commercial
airliner for 400 passengers.
United
States:
American
owned 747 airliners are part of the Civil Reserve Aircraft Fleet which
is impressed into military service when needed to supplement
USAF Air Mobility Command.
4 Boeing E-4B-BN USAF
The
E-4 is configured as an AABNCP (Advanced Airborne National Command
Post); its upper deck serves as a crew rest area; the main deck holds
the President of the USA (as Commander-in-chief of US Forces) and his
battle staff in five compartments; the flight crew section, the NCA
(National Command Authority) work area, a conference room, battle
staff, and C³I (command, control, communication and intelligence)
area; the aircraft is shielded against EMP. One example is never far
away whenever the President travels overseas. The first E-4 was
delivered in late 1974, to the 1st ACCS/55th
Wing at Offutt AFB, NE.
Boeing E-4B-BN
serials: 73-1676, 73-1677, 74-0787, 75-0125
1st ACCS/55th
Wing at Offutt AFB, NE.
2 Boeing VC-25A USAF
The
Boeing VC-25A named Air Force One (only when the President is on
board) is configured for long-range special air mission (SAM)
transport for the President of the United States; the aircraft is
shielded against EMP (electromagnetic pulse) and carries MCS (mission
communications system) three operators, and provision for worldwide
secure communication; normal accommodation is for up to 70 passengers
and 23 crew members.
The
VC-25A is the airborne equivalent of the White House’s Oval Office
with:
-
85 telephones
-
19 television monitors
-
11 videocassette players
-
secure voice and facsimile equipment
The
VC-25A is powered by 4 General Electric F103-GE-180 turbofan engines.
The
first operational mission of the VC-25A was made on September 6, 1990,
taking President George Bush sr. to
Topeka,
Kansas and
Tallahassee,
Florida. The following day, the Air
Force One made its first overseas trip, taking Bush sr. to Helsinki,
Finland.
Boeing
VC-25A serials: 82-8000, 92-9000
89th
AW, Presidential Pilot's office, Andrews AFB,
MA.
1
Boeing YAL-1A USAF
One
Airborne Laser Boeing YAL-1A was built by Boeing Wichita, KS.
The
high-energy laser weapon system will shoot down theater ballistic
missiles while they still are over the enemy’s own territory. The
Airborne Laser (ABL) weapon system will operate at altitudes above the
clouds where it can acquire and track missiles in boost flight, and
then accurately point and fire the laser with such energy that the
missile is destroyed before it can do any harm.
The YAL-1A made
its maiden flight in July 18, 2002. It was repeatedly tested – first
against the fiery plumes of F-16 afterburners, then a boosting Lance
missile, and finally against a staging Minuteman II missile in a test
over the Pacific Ocean in December 2002 – before YAL-1A was housed
in a hangar at Edwards Air Force Base in California in preparation for
the installation of the lasers and optical systems.
While YAL-1A is
in the hangar at Edwards, tests will be conducted independently on the
ABL optical system and the six laser modules that will make up the
complete COIL system. Once those systems have been proven effective
they will be installed on YAL-1A in preparation for a series of
rigorous chain of ground and air tests of the entire ABL
configuration. These tests will include a re-examination of BMC4I
against a variety of targets. Initial tests will culminate with the
shootdown of a ballistic missile over the Pacific.
A
fleet of fully operational EMD systems is intended to satisfy Air
Combat Command's boost-phase Theater Air Defense requirements. If all
goes as planned, a fleet of seven ABLs should be flying operational
missions by 2008.
Boeing
YAL-1A
serial: 00-0001
412th
TW, 452nd FLTS Edwards AFB, CA.
Iran:
The
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force has eight Boeing 747-131F and four
747-2J9F, some of them can be used as aerial tankers, and they have
the same Flying Boom under the rear fuselage.
Boeing
747-131F serials: 5-8104, 5-8108 IRIAF
EP-NHD,
EP-NHP, EP-NHT,
EP-NHV
Iran
Air
EP-SHC,
EP-SHD Saha Airlines
Boeing
747-2J9F serials: EP-SHA,
EP-SHB, EP-SHH Saha Airlines
EP-ICC
Iran Air
Japan:
2 Boeing
747-47C
serials: 20-1101, 20-1102 Japan Air Self Defence Force
701
Hikotai, Chitose Air Base. |
