Trump criticizes new Air Force One as too expensive
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E-mail CRI, December 7, 2016
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A screenshot taken from an ifeng.com video shows Donald Trump responding to his tweet in an interview. |
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Boeing's new Air Force One aircraft as too expensive, after earlier urging the government to cancel the company's contract on Twitter.
"Well the plane is totally out of control. It's going to be over four billion dollars for Air Force One program. And I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money but not that much money."
Boeing did not immediately give any comment.
The two aircraft currently used as Air Force One have been in use since the Reagan era in 1980s. Although they have been heavily modified, they are due to reach the end of their planned 30-year life in 2017.
In January, Boeing secured a contract from the Pentagon to start development work on the 747-8 craft to replace the aging planes.
The new jumbo jets can fly without refueling from Washington to Hong Kong, and 1,600 km further than the current Air Force One.
The Air Force had earmarked 1.65 billion dollars between 2015 and 2019 for two replacement jets and awarded the Boeing Company an initial contract worth 25.8 million dollars in January.
But it hasn't detailed the expected cost or delivery dates for the replacement planes.
U.S. presidents have used Boeing's planes since 1943.
According to federal procurement data, the plane maker was the U.S. government's second biggest federal contractor last year behind Lockheed Martin Corp.,.
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