Could the C5 replace the 747 as Air Force One?

Sure, at least in theory. There are a few problems, however. The newest C-5B in the inventory is nearly 30 years old. It would not be feasible to retrofit an airframe that old. read more

The Boeing 747 is a long range passenger jet. You would need an extreme renovation of the C-5 to make it a passenger able jet, and a jet suitable for the role of Air Force One. The 747 already had a passenger cabin with proper flooring, seating, ceilings, and other accommodations for passengers. read more

1. Back in January of 2015, the Boeing 747-8 was announced as the replacement for the current 747-200 Air Force One aircraft. 2. read more

With two 747s, that would get a total price tag of about $758 million just to procure two of the commercial jetliner versions of the planes. The actual cost in the current budget request is for $2.7 billion in R&D costs for the two replacement Air Force One 747 aircraft. read more