The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump may be flying onboard a new Air Force One jet before the end of the year, as his frustration with Boeing grows. However, it seems that quite a few shortcuts are being taken, in terms of the typical systems that need to be installed on these special jets.
Trump is frustrated by Boeing’s new Air Force One delays
Boeing planes have been transporting US presidents since Roosevelt, and at the moment, a 747-200 serves as “Air Force One.” There are two 747-200s in the Air Force fleet, designated as VC-25As, that can potentially operate as Air Force One (it’s only Air Force One if the president is onboard). The first of these jets was delivered in 1990.
Obviously this is an aging plane, so roughly a decade ago, the government entered into an agreement with Boeing to acquire two new 747-8s, to act as Air Force One. However, when Trump entered office for his first term, he wasn’t happy with the deal the government was getting, so he claimed to reach a new deal with Boeing, for the two planes to be delivered for $3.9 billion. As a White House spokesperson explained at the time:
“President Trump has reached an informal deal with Boeing on a fixed price contract for the new Air Force One Program. Thanks to the President’s negotiations, the contract will save the taxpayers more than $1.4 Billion.”
While the planes were supposed to be ready in 2024, that’s not working out too well. If you think Boeing is having delivery delays with passenger aircraft, wait until you hear this. Boeing representatives have signaled that the planes likely can’t be delivered for another decade, until around 2035, and for billions over budget.
Boeing has reportedly struggled with the planes’ complicated wiring and structural issues, including some related to the the holes for doors that need to be cut into the lower lobes of the aircraft.
Trump has plans to fly new Air Force One before end of 2025
Frustrated by these delays, Trump has now commissioned smaller defense contractor L3Harris to ready an interim Air Force One, so that it can be flying before the end of the year. Specifically, the company is being tasked with overhauling a Boeing 747 formerly used by the Qatari government, and L3Harris is retrofitting the plane with certain specialized systems, to transform it into a presidential jet. It appears that the jet in question is a 13-year-old 747-8 with the registration code P4-HBJ.
Trump wants the plane ready by this fall, and reportedly has been frequently asking for updates. The interim jet would complement the current pair of jets. The Air Force has reportedly long wanted a third jet to serve as a backup, when one of the current planes is undergoing maintenance.
Of course with this project being rushed so much, that creates some challenges. The plane won’t be as capable as the other jets that act as Air Force One, and modifications will be limited, including with security equipment.
Now, it remains to be seen if the jet gets Trump’s beloved “patriotic” paint job, or if it’ll get the livery that was approved a couple of years ago. I’d assume the former, but who knows. One of the concerns with Trump’s livery of choice is that the dark blue paint may increase the heat signature on the plane, and require time consuming modifications to avoid interfering with key electronics systems.
Bottom line
For a decade now, the government has been working on Air Force One replacements, with two Boeing 747-8s having been ordered. While the planes were supposed to be delivered in 2024, that timeline has been delayed all the way to 2035.
Trump is growing impatient and wants to fly a new Air Force One ASAP. As a result, the government has picked up a Boeing 747 from Qatar, and it’s now being modified. Trump hopes to fly this plane within months, by the fall. Interestingly, it’ll be lacking a lot of the equipment that’s typically associated with Air Force One.
What do you make of this interim Air Force One solution?
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