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Does the USAF aircraft carrying POTUS use the call sign "Air Force One" when in other countries' airspace? I could see some countries getting a bit miffed, seeing as they have their own air forces, and might ask that POTUS' aircraft use the call sign "US Air Force One".

Or is there an international agreement that POTUS is Air Force One when in other airspace?

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    $\begingroup$ I guess such military flight cannot be considered international civil aviation as defined by Chicago Convention and therefore cannot benefit from the related treaties. It likely requires a diplomatic clearance to operate in other national airspaces. The callsign is likely part of the clearance, as well as weapons aboard and non-ADS-B use, etc. This would be the same for foreign diplomatic missions in the US. $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Commented Apr 15 at 15:46
  • $\begingroup$ Related: Do military aircraft overflying other countries' airspace require special clearance? $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Commented Apr 15 at 16:08
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    $\begingroup$ The real question would be "Is "air force" a callsign reserved for the USA with ICAO worldwide or only domestically with the FAA?" Really it comes down to what is filed in the flight plan. $\endgroup$
    – Max Power
    Commented Apr 16 at 3:08
  • $\begingroup$ Other countries have other callsigns for their airforce. Denmark has "Danish Airforce", Bulgaria has "Bulaf", Finland has "Finnforce", Singapore has "Singa", Romania has "Romaf" etc. etc. $\endgroup$
    – 60levelchange
    Commented May 29 at 12:23

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Great question! The answer to that is the "Air Force One" callsign is reserved for planes carrying the US President WHEREVER they fly, whether it be to an ally state like France or a far-away distant regime like Myanmar.

It is true that other states also have their own "callsign" for planes carrying their heads of State/Government. But it will not use the "Air Force One" callsign. For example, Canada calls their jets carrying their Prime Minister "Can Force One", France calls it "Cotam One", and Japan calls it "Japanese Air Force One" (it's a long-ass name but they had to call the whole callsign!), etc. Conclusively, I am not sure if it is an international agreement or how the US managed to keep the callsign very exclusive to themselves and enforce it in foreign airspace, but you will never find a second "Air Force One" callsign.

Hope this helps!

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    $\begingroup$ "the "Air Force One" callsign is reserved for planes carrying the US President WHEREVER they fly"...... reserved with whom, under what authority? $\endgroup$
    – user95861
    Commented May 30 at 6:42
  • $\begingroup$ @user95861 hi! As I said, I do not know how they do that, but not even the Chinese or Russians have been recorded to use this callsign. For some reason, the US Air Force has been able to keep the callsign exclusive. Don't ask me how... all I know is that I observe and see that no other countries have used "Air Force One" callsign but only have the equivalent. $\endgroup$
    – Nam Ba Vo
    Commented Jun 1 at 21:15

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