Boeing C-32

C-32
A C-32A on final approach
Role VIP transport, special operations
National origin United States
Manufacturer Boeing
Introduction June 1998
Status In service
Primary user United States Air Force
Number built C-32A: 4;[1]
C-32B: 2[2]
Developed from Boeing 757

The Boeing C-32 is the United States Air Force designation for variants of the Boeing 757 in military service. Two variants exist, filling different parts of the military passenger transport role. The C-32A serves the Special Air Mission, providing executive transport and broad communications capabilities to senior political officials, while the C-32B Gatekeeper provides clandestine airlift to special operations and global emergency response efforts, a role known as "covered air".[3]

The primary users of the C-32A are the vice president of the United States (using the call sign "Air Force Two" when aboard), the first lady, and the secretary of state. On occasion, other members of the president's Cabinet and members of Congress have flown aboard the C-32A for various missions. The aircraft also occasionally serves as Air Force One in place of the larger VC-25A when the president is traveling to domestic destinations that cannot accommodate the larger Boeing 747-derived presidential plane or if the latter is simply unavailable.[4] The C-32A was used to accommodate President Biden for his transatlantic journey prior to visiting Ukraine in February 2023 to limit suspicions of his presence aboard the plane, a trip which would normally be operated by a VC-25.[5]

Little is known of the activities of the secretive C-32B, whose existence is not widely acknowledged by the Air Force.[6] Outfitted for utility rather than luxury, the heavily modified aircraft were acquired to support the U.S. State Department's Foreign Emergency Support Team, and have ties to special operations, and the U.S. Intelligence Community.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference factsheet2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference b622 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Naylor, Sean (2015). Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 15. ISBN 9781466876224.
  4. ^ Choquette, Stefan (February 4, 2011). "University Park Airport Ideal Destination for Slimmer Air Force One". Onward State. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Miller, Zeke (February 21, 2023). "Sneaking a president from DC to Kyiv without anyone noticing". Associated Press.
  6. ^ "C-32". U.S. Air Force. September 21, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.