The U.S. Air Force 89th Airlift Wing took delivery of its final scheduled Gulfstream G550 modified as a C-37B, the service said today. The second of two C-37Bs acquired under a $159 million indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract update, the aircraft carries the tail number 1949 in honor of the Berlin Airlift, which happened in 1949 and is one of the biggest airlift operations in USAF history, the service noted.
Designed to transport the vice president and cabinet-level officials, the previous C-37B arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on November 3. That aircraft was given the tail number of 1941 in honor of the year the Tuskegee Airmen were founded. Honorary Tuskegee Airman and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown had said of the delivery: “I’m humbled to not only be asked to deliver this aircraft but to be a red jacket wearer and now to be a red tail flyer.”
A derivative of the Gulfstream G550, the C-37Bs were upgraded with secure commercial and military voice and data communications systems through L3 Harris.
Including both A and B variants, the USAF now has 16 C-37As (Gulfstream V derivative) and -Bs in its fleet. Randal Mitchell, program manager with the USAF Commercial Derivative Aircraft Division, called the addition of the newest Gulfstreams “a big deal and very important to the Air Force,” given the small fleet size and the demands for executive transport. “Every aircraft has a huge impact in getting our senior leaders to the places they need to be, when they need to be there, and in constant communication throughout the trip.”
The G550, which ended production last year, has been acquired by more than a dozen countries for a range of special mission configurations. Throughout its product line, Gulfstream has delivered more than 200 special-mission variants to support governments and militaries in more than 40 countries.
