Does Air Force One get escorted by fighter jets?

Kenneth Walsh: No, it is actually very unusual for Air Force One to be escorted by fighter jets. On 9/11 there were fighter escorts almost all day -- especially after the initial hour or two, but it is rare. The reason is that it is considered too hazardous to fly fighter jets through heavily trafficked American skies.



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The Gulfstream jets, known as C-20Cs to the U.S. Air Force, are meant to ferry a traveling President of the United States to safety during a crisis. The planes typically follow Air Force One, landing at an airbase or airport an hour or less from the President's location.

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The E-4 series are specially modified from the Boeing 747-200B for the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP) program. The E-4 serves as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority, namely the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and successors.

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For the president, each plane is equipped with a private suite that has a small gym, bathroom, shower and sleeping quarters. Each has a flying Oval Office and its own situation room. Their defenses include electronic countermeasures, radar jamming and flares to confuse enemy missiles.

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For security reasons the US government doesn't usually make it easy to track Air Force One when they president is travelling to different destinations. There are some publicly available resources that claim to provide details of various flights around the world, including the route of Air Force One.

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