WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today commented on reports that the contract to manufacture and service Air Force One will be opened to foreign competitors.

"Air Force One is an incredibly powerful symbol of the United States and the presidency, and more practically, it is critically important to the safety of our Commander in Chief," said Brownback. "Like other critical aspects of our military infrastructure, we should not outsource the building and maintenance of the president's planes. And more to the point, we shouldn't allow national security contracts to go to conglomerates heavily and unfairly subsidized by foreign powers that at times may have different foreign policy and military goals than the United States."

Earlier this month, the Air Force requested information from potential competitors to build, maintain and upgrade the three planes that will serve as Air Force One to be delivered starting in 2017. Boeing has provided the presidential planes since the 1960s. It is expected that only Boeing and the European consortium Airbus will be able to meet the requirements to bid on Air Force One.

"Much like our refueling tankers, Air Force One should be made in America on existing lines by the experts that already know how to do the job right. Air Force One is no place for a government-backed foreign company to learn on the job. There is no need to build new plants or outsource this vital work all over the world. We need to do everything we can to create jobs at home and keep the jobs we have and this is another way we can keep that promise."