The VVIP aircraft Air India One, a custom-made Boeing 777 aircraft which will be used to fly the president of India, the vice president and the prime minister, arrived at Delhi International Airport from the United States on Thursday, 1 October, ANI reported.
Air India One is the call sign of an aircraft carrying either the president or the prime minister of India.
The plane, manufactured by Boeing and delivered to Air India, was supposed to arrive in July but its delivery was delayed twice – first owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and then for technical reasons, PTI reported, quoting officials. One more custom-made B777 plane for the VVIPs is reportedly likely to be received from Boeing later.
According to PTI, an official said that when the VVIPs use these planes, they will be operated by Indian Air Force pilots and not of Air India.
According to ANI, Air India One is equipped with an advanced communication system which allows availing of audio and video communication function mid-air without being hacked.
They are also capable of countering missile threats with their own missile defence system, called the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS), Hindustan Times reported that they are also modified to match the US President’s Air Force One in terms of security.
At present, the three VVIPs fly on Air India’s Boeing 747 planes, which are reconfigured when carrying the dignitaries and their call sign changed to Air India One.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times, PTI and ANI)
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