Defense systems of Air Force One exposed on the Internet

Monday, April 10, 2006 

The Boeing VC-25A that currently serves as Air Force One

A website has released a document it says is from the United States government, and which it claims contains information related to Air Force One's anti-missile defense system. An Air Force base website is believed to be the source of the information, but was not identified in the document, however.

"Having information about a target's countermeasures does two things. It gives you an opportunity to choose a different weapon and to choose a different attack style... perhaps choosing to launch a salvo attack, or choose a missile that uses an active beam," said Daniel Goure of the Lexington Institute.

Air Force One is the primary form of transportation for the President of the United States, George W. Bush. The U.S. Air Force maintains two Boeing 747-200B series aircraft that are used only for the transportation of the President.

"It is not a good thing. We are concerned with how it got there and how we can get it out. This affects operational security," said director of public affairs for the Air Mobility Command's 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Lt. Col. Bruce Alexander.

The document also is said to include detailed maps of the interior of the two planes, the locations of Secret Service agents and the location of the plane's medical center, detailing where the oxygen tanks are kept. This would assist snipers to target and detonate them.

As of Friday, the document was said to be still available online, however efforts to locate the page have so far been unsuccessful.

Sources

• Paul J. Caffera. "Web site exposes Air Force One defenses" — The San Francisco Chronicle, April 8, 2006

• Air Force One defenses, diagrams posted online <broken link> — WorldNetDaily, April 10, 2006

External links

• Cryptome has a copy of the leaked information