The VIP RAF Voyager, also known as the "Vespina" (its Royal Air Force designation) and with a military registration of ZZ336, refers to a customised

Airbus A330 MRTT The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) is a European aerial refuelling and military transport aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330. A total of 16 countries have placed firm orders for approximately 68 aircraft, of which 51 ha ...

owned and operated by the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

that is the first principal VIP transport plane for British government ministers and the British royal family. While the RAF operates a fleet of Voyagers, the VIP RAF Voyager refers specifically to one painted in a United Kingdom livery and fitted with business class seats and media facilities, similar to other dedicated

air transports of heads of state and government Air transports for heads of state and government are, in many countries, provided by the air force in specially equipped airliners or business jets. One such aircraft in particular has become part of popular culture: Air Force One, used by the ...

. Proposals to provide a new dedicated VIP transport aircraft, for governmental or royal use, were first mooted in 1998 under Prime Minister

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

; the proposed aircraft was nicknamed "Blair Force One" (a joking reference to

Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...

). In March 2009 a proposal for a £7 million 12-seater private jet plans were halted by recession. It was not until the end of 2015 that the British Government announced that one VIP RAF Voyager will be converted from a normal RAF Voyager. This was completed in 2016 at a cost of £10 million, with then-Prime Minister

David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...

taking the plane ("Cam Force One") to the

2016 Warsaw summit The 2016 Warsaw Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was the 27th formal meeting of the heads of state and heads of government of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, held at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland, on 8 an ...

. In June 2020, Prime Minister

Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...

ordered that the plane be painted in a United Kingdom-themed red, white, and blue livery, earning it the nickname "Boris Force One". Johnson projected that the entire rebrand would cost about £900,000. VIP interior of RAF Voyager (1)

Despite having been fitted as a VIP aircraft since 2016, and having a custom livery since 2020, the British Government and the RAF has insisted that the plane will continue to serve its military purpose of mid-air refueling and personnel transport.{{Cite web , date=26 June 2020 , title=RAF Voyager: Prime Minister's VIP plane acts as 'petrol station in the sky' for Lightning and Typhoon fighters , url=https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/regional-news/gallery/raf-voyager-prime-ministers-vip-4269346 , website=Gloucestershire Live

References

Air transport of heads of state Royal vehicles

See also

References