DefenseUS Air Force delays delivery of new Boeing 747-8 Air Force One to 2028
The US Air Force (USAF) confirmed on Friday that the first of two new Boeing 747-8-based Air Force One aircraft will not be delivered until mid-2028, extending the timeline for the high-profile program once more time.
This latest delay adds to a series of setbacks for the program, which is considered essential for presidential airlift capability. The project has encountered complications driven by technical requirements, supply chain disruptions, and cost pressures.
Current program costs have surpassed $5 billion, exceeding the original $3.9 billion contract awarded to Boeing in 2018 for conversion of two 747-8 aircraft. The initiative aims to equip the jets with advanced communications and defensive systems for presidential missions.
Boeing has reported $2.4 billion in charges against profits attributable to this effort. “Our focus is to deliver two exceptional Air Force One aircraft to the country,” according to a Boeing spokesperson.
The current Air Force One fleet entered service in 1990 and is nearing the end of its operational life. In May, the US accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar, which the White House requested be rapidly upgraded for presidential use; the Air Force awarded L3Harris Technologies the contract for this refurbishment.
Former President Trump publicly criticized Boeing for delays but rejected Airbus as an alternative supplier. Boeing recently appointed Steve Sullivan, a former Northrop Grumman executive, to lead the Air Force One program.
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