How much usable floor area does a Boeing 747-200 (VC-25/E-4B) have? And how does A380-800 compare against this?

Roughly how are the usable spaces of VC-25 and E-4B divided? I mean, the basic layout of both is public domain, and there should be a rough idea of the numbers.

E-4B layout:
http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/photos/militaryaviation1946-2006cutaways/im...

Parts of the interior are similar. Both VC-25 and E-4B have principal´s bedroom in the nosecone and office/council rooms nearby. However, other parts are different. E-4B-s have large communications and command rooms taking up most of the rear of the main deck; VC-25s have a small communication room on the upper deck, and most of the rear main deck is given to guests/press/publicity.

An Airbus 380-800 is not the size of two 747-s. But seeing how a large part of VC-25 and E-4B interior and functionality matches, would it be feasible to furnish an A380-800 with the entire functionality of both VC-25 and E-4B?

And would the American military buy an airbus product *cough*KC-X*cough*....perhaps not

.mic

I think they should go with a 707 . Atleast it looks sleak and majestic!

Brett_Henderson wrote on Jan 14^th, 2009 at 11:55am:


I'm fairly sure it'd be parked in a secure location, and there's only a couple of huge USAF bases in the middle east.

Well, to add my two cents, and to highlight what I think Brett is getting at...

...I belive such a platform would cost far too much to be viable. The beauty of the VC-25 is that it is furbished mainly for its role of carrying the president. With some satellite communications. The airframe is relatively cheap.

The beauty of the E-4B, is that it has a dedicated purpose of being the doomsday airplane. Radiation filters, hi-band satellite antenna etc. There is a relatively high need for multiple aircraft too.

ONE A380 costs around 317 MILLION USD. An A380 without a comms suite, and other military requirements.

One E-4B costs about 200 million.

One VC-25 costs 325 million.

These two Boeing aircraft have different roles and are therefore required in different numbers.

Buying two A380s and refurbishing them as a cross between the VC-25 and the E-4B would be too expensive.

Quote:

Priced when?

Without comms suite and other military requirements, a VC-25 is a standard green 747-200. E-4B ditto. B747-200 is not for sale now, it is out of production. A green B747-800 is about US$ 250 millions or so. Fitting it out extra with comms suite would cost a lot on top of that.
Quote:


US AF is asking for 3 planes, to be delivered in 2017, 2019 and 2021. And they are considering A380 as option.

If they use this only to replace VC-25, they are spending huge sums to replace two VC-25 747-s with 3 A380-s that are VC-25 plus a lot of unused space, and they still have to be trailed by the then very old E-4B-s. If they equipped that excess space of those three A380-s with the E-4B functionality, they could ground most of the 4 E-4B-s and achieve savings thereby.

Mictheslik wrote on Jan 14^th, 2009 at 12:09pm:
Yes the MILITARY would......Congress however will not

specter177 wrote on Jan 14^th, 2009 at 9:14pm:
Ditto


Brett_Henderson wrote on Jan 15^th, 2009 at 6:01am:

Like what was said, yes the E-4 goes with the President every where. It shadows the President ever place he goes when he leaves United States Air Space, encluding the back up VC-25. The plane itself keeps a low profile for it's size and nature.  

Kuwait City:
http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/E-4B%2047B.jpg
http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/E-4B%2048B.jpg

http://www.flightlevel350.com/Aircraft_Boeing_VC-25A-Airline_USA_-_Air_Force_Avi...


But for the question at hand, with today's computers being 10-times faster then what they were in the late 70's-early 80's, not to mention smaller too with flat screens, you can use the 747-400 or 800 airframe and still maximize space, while retaining the ability to use current facilities.  If any thing the French President should have an Vip-A380.

Oh and you should look to see if you can find the lay out of JASDF 747-400 used for the Emperor & Prime Minister. They may have a completely different lay out.

http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/747-400JSDF%202B.jpg
http://www.flightlevel350.com/Aircraft_Boeing_747-400-Airline_Japan_-_Air_Force_...

chornedsnorkack wrote on Jan 16^th, 2009 at 11:45am:

Better computers=fatter lazier people to run them? Good point, then the 4 Planes needs for a command post/vip transport are: AN-225, AN-124, A380, and C-5M.