The two new VC-25Bs slated to serve as the next Air Force One could cost as much as $6 billion—leading the Trump administration to seek alternative options.
President Donald Trump has made it very clear that he would like to fly on the future Boeing 747s that will serve as Air Force One before his term ends in January 2029. However, delivery of the heavily modified aircraft has been delayed again, and it is increasingly likely that Boeing will miss that deadline.
Reuters first reported last week that the two aircraft, originally scheduled for delivery in 2024 and beset by numerous delays, won’t enter service until 2029 at the earliest.
In May, Acting Assistant of the Air Force Darlene Costello suggested that the 747s would be ready for the president in 2027, but that prediction was apparently overly optimistic.
Why Is It Taking So Long to Build Air Force One?
The two VC-25Bs, the military version of the 747, are being modified by Boeing. Earlier this month, the Air Force awarded Boeing a $15.5 million contract modification to support the aircraft’s new communication capabilities. The aerospace giant has a fixed-price contract to produce the two VC-25Bs valued at $3.9 billion, but the program’s total cost, including infrastructure, testing, support, and additional upgrades, is now estimated at up to $6 billion.
Boeing could incur losses due to the program’s complexity and technical challenges, which have led to delays. That has pushed back the timeline for the two aircraft.
Work on the aircraft is being performed at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, Texas. The two 747-8 aircraft were initially intended for the Russian Transaero airline, but were not delivered due to that airline’s bankruptcy. The US Air Force then stepped in and purchased the airframes at a reduced cost because they were newly built but not delivered.
The new VC-25B aircraft will eventually replace the current VC-25A fleet, which faces capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and obsolescence of certain parts.
As the aircraft weren’t purpose-built to serve as Air Force One, several significant modifications are required, including upgrades to the electrical power system, the addition of a mission communications system, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system, and autonomous ground operations capabilities.
Although the “Air Force One” designation applies only when the president is on board, the term is still commonly used to refer to the VC-25 in general.
The Air Force One Replacement Has Been Troubled from the Start
The current generation of VC-25 aircraft first carried President George HW Bush, who served from 1989 to 1993. As noted, the aircraft are at a point where replacement has been a priority, though it has been repeatedly delayed.
The Air Force had initially contracted with Boeing to build two new 747s to serve as Air Force One in 2015, but in December 2016, then-President-elect Donald Trump falsely claimed that the program was over budget and should be canceled.
That led Boeing to use the two 747s for the defunct Russian airline, and work began in 2020. The global pandemic resulted in delays, and supply chain challenges that followed exacerbated matters considerably. Delivery slipped to 2026 and then to 2027.
At this point, critics have said that the Air Force should have stuck with the original plan.
What About Qatar’s Donated Boeing 747?
Earlier this year, President Trump, after expressing frustrations with Boeing over the delays, accepted a luxury Boeing 747-8 jetliner from Qatar. It will be modified for use as the presidential aircraft and later transferred to the Trump Presidential Library.
Although the $400 million aircraft was donated to the White House as an “unconditional” gift, American taxpayers are still on the hook for retrofitting costs—drawing criticism from both opponents and some allies of President Donald Trump.
Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies was contracted to overhaul and modify the donated jet, which was delivered to the Qatar Amiri Flight, a VVIP airline owned and operated by the Qatari government, in April 2012. The ruling Al-Thani family of Qatar had previously used the aircraft for flights to the United States and Europe.
Although described as a “flying palace” with a main bedroom, two full bathrooms, a guest bedroom, and multiple lounges, the aircraft must be stripped down and rebuilt to serve as Air Force One. Current independent estimates suggest that work on the gifted aircraft would cost as much as $1 billion.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Jeremy Clodfelter.
