Defense contractor S.A.F.E. Structure Designs announced on
Monday that it has secured a contract with L3Harris Technologies to develop a
bespoke aircraft maintenance crane for the president’s aircraft.
The new crane will support the delicate installation and removal
of the radome, the very crown of the presidential aircraft.
A radome is the protective aerodynamic covering that houses
the radar antenna, essential for various functions like weather radar,
communication, and navigation. The radome on the president’s plane, like those
on other aircraft, serves to protect the radar antenna from environmental
factors such as rain, ice, hail, and bird strikes.
S.A.F.E. Structure Designs is no stranger to the veiled
world of military aviation. Their past exploits include the creation of two
custom cranes, already in active service, supporting maintenance operations on other
presidential planes. This new contract deepens their involvement, solidifying
their position as guardians of presidential fleet maintenance.
"Our team at SAFE Structure is humbly honored to support the operational readiness of Air Force One and Air Force Two," declared Johnny Buscema Jr., president & CEO of S.A.F.E. Structure Designs. Both aircraft are designated VC-25A and have tail numbers 28000 and 29000.
Contrary to popular belief, "Air Force One" isn’t a plane. It’s a radio call sign used by any plane the president travels in.
Beyond this singular contract, S.A.F.E. Structure Designs
operates in the shadows, specializing in customized aviation maintenance
platforms, ground support equipment, and aircraft maintenance tooling for
military, government, and commercial aviation operations.
No comments:
Post a Comment