The U.S. Congress has denied the U.S. Air Force’s request for a second C-40 VIP transport aircraft, according to a report by Breaking Defense. The proposed aircraft was intended to supplement executive airlift missions for high-ranking officials, including the vice president, first spouse, defense secretary, Joint Chiefs chairman, and secretary of state.
The Air Force originally sought funding for the additional C-40 in the FY25 budget request. However, their attempt to reprogram funds for the acquisition was rejected in July, Breaking Defense reports.
Currently, the Air Force operates a fleet of four C-32s, which can only fulfill about 50% of the travel requests from top government officials. The service argues that this limited capacity is the primary factor driving the need for an additional aircraft.
The C-32 fleet, a militarized version of the Boeing 757, serves as Air Force Two and handles other VIP transport duties. However, Air Force spokespersons told Breaking Defense that the C-32 cannot fully support all requirements for top-level officials, primarily due to the limited number of available aircraft.
Looking ahead, the Air Force is pursuing a new C-40D variant with enhanced communications capabilities. This aircraft would be configured to accommodate up to 40 passengers, increasing capacity over the current C-40B. The service included plans to purchase this new variant in its FY25 budget request.
However, Breaking Defense notes that some congressional committees have indicated they would reject funding for this initiative. A continuing resolution running into December may further delay the finalization of the FY25 budget.
The Air Force faces additional challenges as the C-32A baseline airframe, the Boeing 757, is no longer in production. This factor complicates future fleet planning and replacement strategies.
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