Boeing has told the Air Force it can deliver new Air Force One jets by 2027 if the service agrees to loosen some requirements, according to a service official.
The VC-25B aircraft were originally scheduled for delivery in 2024, but delays have pushed projections to 2028 or 2029, drawing public rebuke from President Donald Trump.
“We are looking at the requirements that are being potentially traded off to get to that date, and so I would not necessarily guarantee that date, but they’re proposing to bring it into 2027. If we can come to agreement on the requirements changes that get us to that point, that may be possible,” Darlene Costello, the Air Force’s acting acquisition chief, said Wednesday during a House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee hearing.
But Costello cautioned that some of the Boeing-proposed trade-offs might not be implemented, so the service is working with the White House to decide “what’s acceptable from a capability standpoint for those aircraft.”
Some of the delays have been caused by problems with suppliers that make the interior of the jet, the “wiring design,” and workforce limitations, according to Costello’s statement.
The service has already made some moves to help Boeing move faster—including lowering security-clearance standards to make it easier for the company to find workers.
“We’ve also relieved some of the security requirements for the production facility for a period of time. It will not be a permanent relief, but that has enabled Boeing to be more efficient and productive in assembling the aircraft and getting their mechanics to do the work,” Costello said.
Boeing also said earlier this year that it’s working with Trump advisor Elon Musk to speed up delivery of the new jets.
Frustrated by Boeing’s delays, Trump has reportedly hired L3Harris to modify a Boeing 747 once owned by the Qatari royal family to use in the interim, the Wall Street Journal reported May 1. The Journal reported that the retrofitted jet could be ready for presidential use as soon as this fall.
It’s still unclear what money the U.S. is using to retrofit the Qatari jet, and how this move might affect the current contract.
During Trump’s first term in office, he struck a $3.9 billion deal with Boeing to convert two 747 jets into a VIP configuration. The fixed-price contract has led to more than $2.4 billion in losses for Boeing.
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