Special Air Mission

Special Air Mission
SAM 28000 over Mt. Rushmore, one of the two VC-25s used by the Special Air Mission as Air Force One
Active	1948–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Presidential Transport Executive Branch Transport Congressional Transport Distinguished Visitor Transport
Part of	Air Mobility Command
Garrison/HQ	Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland
Insignia
Air Mobility Command emblem

The United States Air Force Special Air Mission is the safe, comfortable, and reliable air transportation for the President of the United States (POTUS), Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS), First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), Presidential Cabinet, U.S. Congressional delegations (CODELs), and other high-ranking American and foreign dignitaries.

The Special Air Mission is under the cognizance of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and executed by the 89th Airlift Wing (89 AW) based at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.

Flying worldwide, Special Air Mission (SAM) aircraft represent the highest level of Distinguished Visitor (DV) travel and must meet stringent schedule and protocol requirements under intense media scrutiny. The 89th Airlift Wing provides this service with 17 aircraft dedicated to the SAM and 15 helicopters supporting federal emergency requirements.

SAM is especially essential in wartime when diplomacy and negotiation become critical elements of national security strategy. World events may, at any given time, require the nation's leaders to be dispatched simultaneously on diplomatic missions around the world. Physical and communications security are integral to the mission. SAM passengers conduct highly sensitive business while en route, and their objectives must not be compromised. Mission protocol dictates the use of civilian airports almost exclusively. Because SAM aircraft are the official transportation for leaders of the United States Government, they are a highly visible symbol of the United States of America. National pride dictates these aircraft portray the highest American standards.

SAM mission areas may be divided into the following categories:

After a presidential inauguration resulting in a change in office, the outgoing president is provided transport on a VC-25 aircraft to their home destination. The aircraft for this flight does not use the Air Force One call sign because it is not carrying the president in office. For Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush the flight was known as Special Air Mission 28000, where the number represents the aircraft's tail number. For President Barack Obama, the Special Air Mission flight used the call sign SAM 44 (Obama was the 44th President).