The president ucraniano Yesterday (21) Volodymyr Zelensky made his first official international visit since the beginning of the war in his country, when Russia invaded Ukrainian territory on February 24.
To the surprise of many, Zelensky announced on social media that he would meet with US President Joe Biden, but without details about the trip.
However, hours after the announcement, a Boeing C-40B registration 01-0041 of the United States government took off from Rzeszow (RZE), in Poland, a city located near the border with Ukraine, which has been one of the main logistical points for Ukrainians.
I jest Zełenski w USA. pic.twitter.com/xFuE36ob4H
ADVERTISING — Mateusz Grzeszczuk – Travel without a port (@PBPaszportu) December 21, 2022
Hours later, the C-40B USAF landed in Washington, more precisely at Andrews Air Force Base (AFB), known as the base for the VC-25, a military version of the Boeing 747 adapted to transport the President of the United States.
The meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States served to announce a US$ 1,85 billion assistance agreement (R$ 9,6 billion) provided by the Americans, including the transfer of the Patriot air defense system.
Boeing C-40B: the plane that transported the Ukrainian president to the US
The Boeing C-40B is a modified version of the 737-700 BBJ, however, the aircraft has equipment that guarantees greater autonomy, military protection and communication.
According to the USAF, the C-40B has a range of 9.260 kilometers (5.000 nautical miles), double that of a conventional Boeing 737.
As a VIP configuration aircraft, the Boeing C-40 has additional fuel tanks and landing gear identical to the Boeing 737-800.
The C-40B has an advanced communication capability and operational improvements for transporting civil and military authorities. Its configuration allows the aircraft to be a kind of 'air office', mainly when the plane is used for diplomatic missions.
Check out the interior of a similar aircraft in the video below:
