Washington (CNN) — Air Force One is primed to receive an upgrade that will include new refrigerators expected to cost American taxpayers nearly $24 million. In December, the U.S. Air Force approved a $23.6 million contract with Boeing to replace two “cold chiller units” in one of the two aircraft that serve as Air Force One There are five units total on each plane, which can store more than 3,000 meals, according to Defense One. Both of those units, which are used to store food, were installed on the plane when it originally was delivered in 1990, according to the Air Force. The units were based on the technology at the time and designed for short-term food storage,” Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told CNN. An Air Force spokesperson added that while the system is regularly serviced, “reliability has decreased with failures increasing, especially in hot/humid environments.” Yes, Florida may be a factor on that note, but the Air Force added that the costs of design, manufacturing, research, and labor (many of the contractors who work on the project will need security clearances) are built into Boeing’s $24 million figure. The units are unable to effectively support mission requirements for food storage.”

It isn’t as if Air Force One can take any and all replacement parts, as they have to be specially made. “The units and associated aircraft structural modifications are being specially designed to provide nearly 70 cubic feet of temperature-controlled (refrigeration/freezer) storage to support on-board personnel for an extended period of time, without having to restock while abroad,” [Air Force spokesperson Ann] Stefanek told CNN. “The engineering required to design, manufacture, conduct environmental testing and obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification are included in the cost.”

The work is expected to be finished in October 2019. Even after winning the election, Trump pushed back against the expense, tweeting that the U.S. should cancel an order for a new presidential 747 because “costs are out of control.”



A subsequent fact-check by The Washington Post highlighted some of the inaccuracies in Trump’s tweet. The Air Force announced last year that it had finalized a deal to purchase two already-built aircraft from Boeing to serve as the next generation of Air Force One, flying future presidents around the world for decades to come.
The United States will pay Boeing nearly US$24 million to replace two of the five 27-year-old chiller units on Air Force One, customized to carry 70 cubic feet of refrigerated storage for about 3,000 meals.