Navy One is the call sign of any United States Navy aircraft carrying the President of the United States. There has been only one U.S. Navy aircraft to bear this designation. An S-3 Viking, assigned to the “Blue Wolves” of VS-35, transported President George W. Bush to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln stationed off the coast of San Diego, California on May 1, 2003.
The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a jet aircraft originally used by the United States Navy to identify, track, and destroy enemy submarines. It also provides electronic warfare and surface surveillance capabilities to the carrier battle group.
A carrier-based, subsonic, all-weather, multi-mission aircraft with long range, it operates primarily with carrier battle groups in anti-submarine warfare roles. It carries automated weapon systems, and is capable of extended missions with in-flight refueling. Because of the engines’ high-pitched sound, it is nicknamed the “Hoover” after the brand of vacuum cleaner.
The S-3 is a conventional monoplane with a high-mounted cantilever wing, swept 15°. The two GE TF-34 high-bypass turbofan engines mounted in nacelles under the wings provide exceptional cruise efficiency compared to turbojets or earlier turbofans.
General characteristics
- Crew: 4
- Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
- Wingspan: Unfolded: 68 ft 8 in (20.93 m) Folded: 29 ft 6 in (9.00 m)
- Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
- Wing area: 598 ft² (55.56 m²)
- Empty weight: 26,581 lb (12,057 kg)
- Loaded weight: 38,192 lb (17,324 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 52,539 lb (23,831 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofans
- Internal fuel capacity: 1,933 US gal (7,320 L) of JP-5 fuel
- External fuel capacity: 2x 300 US gal (1,136 L) tanks
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.73, 447 knots (514 mph, 828 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
- Cruise speed: 350 knots (405 mph, 650 km/h)
- Stall speed: 97 knots (112 mph, 180 km/h)
- Combat radius: 2,765 nm (3,182 mi, 5,121 km)
- Service ceiling: 40,900 ft (12,465 m)
- Rate of climb: 5,120 ft/min (26.0 m/s)
- Wing loading: 68.5 lb/ft² (334 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.353