Updated 2025-09-12T14:28:18Z
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Since 1959, vice presidents of the United States have traveled by aircraft specifically designated as Air Force Two. Today, Vice President JD Vance undertakes both domestic and international journeys aboard a C-32 aircraft — a highly customized military adaptation of a Boeing commercial airliner. This imposing jet is more than just a method of transport: it functions simultaneously as an airborne command center, featuring an advanced communications unit, a private stateroom for rest or work, and seating for over thirty members of the press corps.
Frequent travel is woven into the very fabric of the vice president’s duties, as the second-highest executive officer must often traverse both the nation and the globe for diplomatic meetings, ceremonial engagements, and policy initiatives. Fortunately, unlike ordinary air travel, these journeys are carried out in considerable comfort and enhanced security aboard Air Force Two. The C-32 aircraft, stretching 155 feet in length and capable of covering approximately 5,500 nautical miles without refueling, enables uninterrupted long-distance travel. Whenever Vice President Vance steps aboard, the plane receives the distinct designation of “Air Force Two.”
Just as “Air Force One” refers to any Air Force aircraft carrying the president, the title “Air Force Two” denotes any United States Air Force plane transporting the vice president, regardless of the exact model. Throughout history, a variety of aircraft have served under this designation, each modified to meet the evolving needs of successive administrations. Currently, the most common aircraft fulfilling this role is the C-32, a meticulously fitted military variant of the Boeing 757-200, designed with sophisticated communication systems and specialized accommodations to ensure efficiency, security, and comfort.
Tradition dictates that the president and vice president do not share a flight, primarily for national security reasons: maintaining continuity of government requires them to travel separately. In observance of military custom, service members salute the president as commander-in-chief upon boarding or disembarking Air Force One. While they are not formally required to salute the vice president, it has nonetheless become an unofficial practice — a respectful tradition reciprocated by vice presidents themselves, including such figures as Kamala Harris, who continued the custom of offering salutes when embarking or leaving Air Force Two.
The historical evolution of Air Force Two underscores its importance. Richard Nixon became the first vice president to travel abroad on a jet for official duties when, in 1959, he flew to the Soviet Union aboard a Boeing VC-137A Stratoliner during the Eisenhower administration. Later, starting in 1975 during the presidency of Gerald Ford, a DC-9 jet became the mainstay aircraft identified as Air Force Two, serving in that role until its retirement in 2005. This particular jet was outfitted with a lavish VIP section of ten seats complemented by a first-class cabin that accommodated thirty-two passengers. After decades of service, the aircraft was officially retired during President George W. Bush’s tenure and later auctioned to the public.
Throughout its operational years, Air Force Two came to embody not only function but also personal touches from those who traveled within it. Vice President Al Gore, for instance, decorated the VIP cabin with family photographs and conducted major political work aboard — even drafting parts of his 2000 Democratic National Convention speech within those airborne quarters. A distinctive clock displaying multiple time zones, including Washington, D.C. time and the location of the flight’s destination, hung prominently inside.
The introduction of the current fleet of C-32s in 1998 marked another technological leap. With a wingspan nearing 125 feet and engines capable of producing a formidable 41,700 pounds of thrust each, these aircraft combined speed, range, and efficiency, ensuring that the vice president could travel globally with minimal interruptions. Joe Biden, during his vice presidency, famously hung a large world map in his onboard office space to keep track of his extensive travels, logging well over one million miles on Air Force Two. Similarly, later occupants continued personalizing the experience: staff for Mike Pence adorned the plane with decorations to celebrate his birthday, while Kamala Harris occasionally brought cupcakes aboard to celebrate her staff’s milestones, reinforcing the human dimension behind the aircraft’s official role.
Moreover, Air Force Two serves not only the vice president but, at times, members of the second family and senior Cabinet officials. Doug Emhoff, spouse of Vice President Harris, frequently traveled aboard the jet and was even photographed filling out his basketball tournament bracket mid-flight. These anecdotes illustrate the versatility of the aircraft — equally capable of supporting significant diplomatic missions and providing a comfortable environment for more personal moments.
The aircraft’s rear section has been specifically designed for members of the press, offering thirty-two business-class seats along with amenities such as a galley, bathrooms, and storage closets. Television screens enable real-time access to cable news, and informal press briefings, known as “press gaggles,” are often conducted midair, creating a space that blends journalistic access with government transparency.
Vice President JD Vance has already used Air Force Two to undertake significant foreign trips. In early 2025, he visited France and Germany with his wife, Usha Vance, and their three children, attending events such as the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris and the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Shortly thereafter, the vice president and his family traveled to Greenland, visiting Pituffik Space Base, the United States military’s only installation in that remote region. These journeys underscore the range of Air Force Two’s mission capabilities, from participation in high-level diplomatic conferences to inspections of strategic defense facilities.
The aircraft has also played a somber and symbolic role. In September 2025, it was employed to transport the casket of Charlie Kirk, the cofounder of Turning Point USA, following his tragic death after a shooting incident in Utah. Air Force Two carried Kirk’s remains to Phoenix for burial, during which solemn duties were observed: Vice President Vance himself assisted uniformed service members in carrying the casket on board. Accompanied by his wife Usha Vance and Kirk’s widow, Erika Frantzve, the gesture highlighted both the human and ceremonial dimension of the vice president’s official aircraft. Recognizing Kirk as a personal ally and an early supporter of his political career, Vance lauded him as a close friend who contributed significantly to the administration’s success.
Thus, Air Force Two represents far more than a mere means of air travel. It is at once a functional command post, a diplomatic vessel, an arena for political rituals, and, on occasion, a setting for deeply personal or historic moments. Each of its journeys demonstrates the profound intertwining of leadership, security, tradition, and human connection, reaffirming the pivotal role played by this remarkable aircraft in the execution of American governance.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/vice-presidents-plane-photos-air-force-two-2022-6
