#US Air Force planning to make Air Force One supersonic

The US Air Force has taken the first steps in developing a prototype aircraft that could break the sound barrier and whisk the president around the world in half the time, according to Military.com.

The service’s Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate last month awarded a $1 million small business innovation research two-year contract to Exosonic for the project, the news site reported.

The aerospace start-up is tasked with creating the future aircraft’s specifications, to include “power, weight, dimensions, communication systems, cabin layout” and a virtual reality model of the cabin, Air Force Materiel Command told the outlet.

“Low-boom allows travelers to fly at supersonic speeds without generating disruptive booms for those on the ground,” AFMC spokesman Daryl Mayer told Military.com.

The directorate contract “will support Exosonic’s efforts to develop and modify the company’s commercial supersonic airliner to serve as an executive transport vehicle,” the company said in a release.

“These modifications will include reconfiguring the aircraft cabin to include the required accommodations, communications equipment, and security measures that allow US leaders and their guests to work and rest onboard the aircraft.”