Trump, Boeing CEO Discuss Air Force One Requirements
18 January 2017 - 4:57AM
Dow Jones News
By Doug Cameron
Boeing Co. Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said after a
meeting with President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday that they
discussed simplifying the requirements for the new planes that
would serve as Air Force One.
Mr. Trump has singled out the Air Force One replacement program
and the F-35 combat jet made by Lockheed Martin Corp. for criticism
over their cost, and won commitments from the CEOs of both
companies to lower them.
Mr. Muilenburg told reporters after the meeting that he was
pleased with the progress in discussions involving the Air Force
One program, which involves converting two 747-8 passenger jets
with sophisticated communication and defense systems.
Defense experts have said the planes' requirements are set by
the White House and the Secret Service, not the company or the Air
Force, which is running the program.
He also talked of using commercial best practices, though Boeing
has made similar claims about converting other passenger jets for
military use.
Boeing so far has received $170 million to start developing the
two 747-8 jumbos, and was the sole bidder for the contract. The
Pentagon has already said it would compete contracts involving some
of the additional systems and upgrades for the jets.
"I think Mr. Trump is doing a great job engaging with business,"
said Mr. Muilenburg of the president-elect's tweets and remarks in
speeches about what he views as the failings of some defense
contracting.
Mr. Trump had also asked Boeing to price out souped-up F/A-18
jets that could substitute for some F-35s, though Pentagon
officials have said the planes are complementary and cannot be
swapped in for one another.
Mr. Muilenburg said they had discussed the capabilities of
combat jets, but didn't discuss the F/A-18 specifically.
Write to Doug Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 17, 2017 12:42 ET (17:42 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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