Code One

Last updated

Code One is the name of the Republic of Korea Air Force aircraft which carries the President of South Korea. The current aircraft is a specially upgraded Boeing 747-8I leased from Korean Air. [1]

Contents

The former Code One plane landing at Brussels Airport in Belgium, 2018 10001 South Korea - Air Force (44553340355).jpg
The former Code One plane landing at Brussels Airport in Belgium, 2018

Historically, the lease for Code One has been filled by either Korean Air or Asiana Airlines. It was reported in 2018 that Korean Air's lease expires in March 2021 and that a bidding process was open to secure a new lease. Government officials said that low-cost carriers might be requested to submit bids, in addition to those requested by Asiana Airlines and Korean Air. [2]

The aircraft has undergone a "full-scale renovation" which will include "decorating the exterior", as well as customising the interior to include a sleeping area and office, as well as reinforcement to protect the president's security. [3]

The current presidential plane has been in service since January 2022 after extensive retrofitting and inspection. There is also an identical plane of the same type that will travel with the president at all times for security purposes and to act as a backup in case of an emergency. [4]

Acquisition

In 2010 as part of the VC-X program the Republic of Korea Air Force along with the Presidential Security Service leased a Boeing 747-400 from Korean Air to serve as Code One. [5] The contract was extended until 2021 due to an administrative problem. [6]

In March 2020, the lease for Code One ended and the bidding process from Korean Air and Asiana Airlines began. When the bidding process was concluded the South Korean Air Force and the Presidential Security Service decided that Korean Air would get the contract to provide the new Code One aircraft. [7]

Other Presidential Aircraft

Before 2010, the President would travel in a reconfigured Boeing 747 provided by either Korean Air or Asiana Airlines which would temporarily serve as Code One with the Presidential seal displayed. When official use was over, the aircraft was reverted to normal and used once again as a commercial aircraft.[ citation needed ]

Security

Code One has a vast array of security measures most of which are highly classified. Code One is equipped with advanced communications and defense systems including radar-signal jammers and flares to defend against heat-seeking missiles. [8]

Interior

The interior of the aircraft is mostly unknown and classified, but what is known, is that the aircraft is reconfigured with an office and a bedroom among other amenities.[ citation needed ] Code One is not only meant for travel and comfort but also as a command post, that is used for the president to lead the country from anywhere in the world. It is also meant for them to fulfill their duties as the Commander-in-Chief and supreme authority of the armed forces.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 747</span> American wide-body long-range commercial jet aircraft

The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet 2+12 times its size, to reduce its seat cost by 30%. In 1965, Joe Sutter left the 737 development program to design the 747. In April 1966, Pan Am ordered 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft, and in late 1966, Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop the JT9D engine, a high-bypass turbofan. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the custom-built Everett Plant, the world's largest building by volume. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and the 747 was certified in December of that year. It entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970. The 747 was the first airplane called a "Jumbo Jet" as the first wide-body airliner.

Atlas Air, Inc. is a major American cargo airline, passenger charter airline, and aircraft lessor based in Purchase, New York. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Atlas Air is the world's largest operator of the Boeing 747 aircraft, with a total fleet of 54 of this specific fleet type. In 2021, the airline had 4,056 employees and operated to more than 300 global destinations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Force One</span> USAF aircraft carrying the US president

Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used to transport the president and a metonym for the primary presidential aircraft, VC-25, although it can be used to refer to any Air Force aircraft the president travels on.

Air Atlanta Icelandic is a charter and ACMI airline based in Kópavogur, Iceland. It specialises in leasing aircraft on an ACMI and wet lease basis to airlines worldwide needing extra passenger and cargo capacity. It also operates charter services. The company operates in different countries and has bases worldwide.

Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The company operates international scheduled and cargo charter services. Its call sign "Connie" is from its founder, Connie Kalitta.

Connexion by Boeing (CBB) was an in-flight online internet connectivity service from Boeing. This service allowed travellers to access a high-speed internet connection while on board a plane in flight through a wired Ethernet or a wireless 802.11 Wi-Fi connection. Connexion by Boeing was formed as a separate business unit of The Boeing Company. Major development on the service commenced with a partnership agreement between United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines on June 13, 2001. Lufthansa joined the partnership as the International launch customer on June 17, 2001. United, Delta, and American subsequently withdrew from the partnership after the 9/11 terrorist attacks due to the severe drop in airline travel that occurred after the attacks.

Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., operating as Korean Air, is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations, and international flights. It is owned by the Hanjin Group.

Asiana Airlines Inc. is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul. In 2019, it accounted for 25% of South Korea's international aviation market and 20% of its domestic market. It maintains its international hub at Seoul's Incheon International Airport. and its domestic hubs at Gimhae International Airport in Busan and Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. It is a full-service airline and a member of Star Alliance.

Transaero, officially OJSC Transaero Airlines was a Russian airline that operated scheduled and charter flights to over 150 domestic and international destinations. Transaero's main hubs were Moscow Vnukovo Airport and Saint Petersburg Airport, with further bases throughout Russia. For much of its history the head office was at Domodedovo International Airport, and towards the end its head office was in Saint Petersburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing VC-25</span> US Air Force presidential transport aircraft

The Boeing VC-25 is a military version of the Boeing 747 airliner, modified for presidential transport and commonly operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) as Air Force One, the call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern California Logistics Airport</span> Airport

Southern California Logistics Airport, also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California, approximately 50 mi (80 km) north of San Bernardino. Prior to its civil usage, the facility was George Air Force Base, from 1941 to 1992 a United States Air Force flight training facility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 747-8</span> Wide-body airliner, last production series of the 747

The Boeing 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the Boeing 747 family from Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The 747-8 is the largest variant of the 747 and Boeing's largest aircraft. After introducing the 747-400, Boeing considered larger 747 versions as alternatives to the proposed double-deck Airbus A3XX, later developed as the Airbus A380. The stretched 747 Advanced was launched as the 747-8 on November 14, 2005, for a market forecast of 300 aircraft. The first 747-8F Freighter performed its maiden flight on February 8, 2010, and the passenger 747-8I Intercontinental followed suit on March 20, 2011. The cargo version was first delivered in October 2011 and the airliner began commercial service in June 2012.

Air transports for heads of state and government are, in many countries, provided by the air force in specially equipped airliners or business jets. One such aircraft in particular has become part of popular culture: Air Force One, used by the President of the United States and operated by the United States Air Force. Other well known official aircraft include the Russian presidential aircraft, the British Royal Air Force VIP aircraft, the French Cotam 001, the Royal Canadian Air Force VIP aircraft, the German Konrad Adenauer, the Royal Australian Airforce VIP aircraft, the Japanese Air Force One, the South Korean Code One, the Indian Air India One, the Brazilian Air Force One, and the Israeli Wing of Zion.

The article describes accidents and incidents on Korean Air and its predecessor companies Korean National Airlines and KAL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiana Airlines Flight 733</span> 1993 plane crash in South Korea

Asiana Airlines Flight 733 was a domestic Asiana Airlines passenger flight from Seoul-Gimpo International Airport to Mokpo Airport (MPK), South Korea. The Boeing 737 crashed on July 26, 1993, in the Hwawon area of Haenam County, South Jeolla Province. The cause of the accident was determined to be pilot error leading to controlled flight into terrain. 68 of the 116 passengers and crew on board were killed. The crash resulted in the first hull loss of a 737-500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiana Airlines Flight 991</span> 2011 aviation accident in South Korea

On 28 July 2011, Asiana Airlines Flight 991, a Boeing 747-400F flying from Seoul, South Korea, to Shanghai, China, crashed into the sea off Jeju Island after suffering a main-deck fire. Both pilots, the only two people on board, were killed. The accident marked the second loss of a 747 freighter due to a cargo hold fire in less than a year, following the crash of UPS Airlines Flight 6 in Dubai in September 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First class (aviation)</span> Commercial passenger travel service level in aviation

First class is a travel class on some passenger airliners intended to be more luxurious than business class, premium economy, and economy class. Originally all planes offered only one class of service, with a second class appearing first in 1955 when TWA introduced two different types of service on its Super Constellations.

The transportation of the president of South Korea includes a variety of vehicles for the president maintained by the South Korean government. Because of their role as commander-in-chief they exclusively use military transports for international travel. However, the civilian Presidential Security Service operates the president's motorcade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wing of Zion</span>

Wing of Zion is the principal government transport aircraft of the State of Israel, tasked with the function of transporting the President and Prime Minister overseas during international visits. The present aircraft designated with this task, a modified Boeing 767-338ER widebody-twinjet airliner belonging to the Israeli Air Force, is set to enter operational service in November 2023.

References

  1. Charpentreau, Clement (2022-01-18). "South Korea's new 'Code One' presidential aircraft enters service". AeroTime Hub. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  2. Kim, Da-sol (July 5, 2018). "Presidential Plane Bid to Open as Code One Lease Contract Nears End". The Korea Herald .
  3. Kim, Da-sol (July 5, 2018). "Presidential Plane Bid to Open as Code One Lease Contract Nears End". The Korea Herald .
  4. "S. Korea to lease Korean Air's B747-8i as new presidential plane". Yonhap News Agency . May 29, 2020.
  5. "대한항공, 대통령 전용기 4년간 독점 운영" [Korean Air to operate presidential plane exclusively for 4 years]. Money Today News (in Korean). 11 February 2010.
  6. "'대통령 전용기' 현 기종 임차 1년 연장…2021년 교체" [Presidential aircraft lease on current model extended by one year...Replacement in 2021]. JTBC News (in Korean). 29 September 2019.
  7. "대통령 전용기 '공군1호기', 구매 아닌 신형 항공기 5년 임대" [Presidential plane 'Korea Air Force One', lease new aircraft for 5 years, not purchase.]. E-Daily News (in Korean). 26 May 2020.
  8. Jeong, Jeff (February 28, 2018). "South Korea looks to buy its own Air Force One". Defense News.