The U.S. Air Force now expects to take delivery of its first new Presidential jet in mid-2028, replacing the VC-25As that have served since 1990.
In a statement released to Aviation Week following the announcement of a $15.5 million contract modification related to the VC-25B program, a U.S. Air Force spokesperson said “These costs are associated with integration of new communications capability that allows VC-25B to keep pace with mission requirements that have evolved since the program baseline was established,” adding “This modification can be accomplished within the current program schedule with the projected delivery date for the first VC-25B aircraft in mid-2028.”
Boeing had said earlier in 2025 that, if the U.S. was willing to relax some of the more stringent security requirements for contractors working on the VC-25B program, it could potentially deliver the first aircraft as soon as 2027. It is unknown whether any of these requests from Boeing have been honoured, though the new expected delivery date is earlier the previously mentioned 2029. Originally, the first aircraft was due to be in service by the end of 2024.
New: The Air Force now expects the first delivery of Boeing’s VC-25B, the next “Air Force One,” in mid-2028.
This as Boeing gets a new contract today for comms equipment on the aircrafthttps://t.co/dgrZ8spnCj
— Brian Everstine (@beverstine) December 12, 2025
It remains to be seen who the first President to use the new aircraft as Air Force One will be – although President Trump is due to still be in office for the mid-2028 delivery estimate, post-delivery certification and trials may push its full entry into service beyond the next Presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2029. Notably, initial operating capability (IOC) for the new VH-92A Patriot helicopter was declared in 2021, but the first flight of a VH-92A as Marine One did not take place until 2024.
82-8000, the oldest of the two VC-25As currently in service, was officially delivered on Aug. 23, 1990, first flying as Air Force One shortly after on Sept. 6. The aircraft’s first actual flight took place in May 1987, but this was prior to many of the role specific modifications being fitted.
Unlike the two VC-25As, the VC-25Bs are second hand aircraft (construction numbers 42416 and 42417) and were originally constructed for the Russian airline Transaero. Transaero had filed for bankruptcy prior to delivery, and the aircraft were subsequently placed into storage in California. The new aircraft are based on the Boeing 747-8, while the VC-25As were modified from the Boeing 747-200B model.
Though the 747-8 saw limited success on the commercial market compared to its ancestors, it has become popular with cargo operators as well as other state VIP flights. More than double the number of 747-8s built for passenger service were constructed solely for freight use, and 747-8s are used by China, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, and Brunei for executive transport. Elsewhere in the U.S. Air Force, the Boeing 747-8 type is set to be introduced as the E-4C – replacing the E-4B Nightwatch command post aircraft that share the VC-25A’s 747-200 base airframe.
VC-25B Delays
The VC-25B’s delivery delays have been a point of contention for President Trump, having made direct comments about it on a number of occasions. Elon Musk was reportedly tasked in January 2025 to assist with speeding up the process, although it isn’t known how much involvement he had, nor whether this continued in any way following his subsequent feud with the President. In May 2025, reports emerged that another Boeing 747-8 would be gifted by the Qatari Royal Family for President Trump’s use while the VC-25Bs are completed.
This 747-8, with the new U.S. registration N7478D superseding its previous identity of P4-HBJ, was spotted in Texas in August apparently ahead of a significant refit that would allow its potential use for Presidential transport. The aircraft was transferred to the Department of Defense (DoD) as an “unconditional donation” for use “in any manner it deems appropriate”. Exactly what modifications will be made to the aircraft, especially given the short timeframe available, are unclear.
Thanks to FlightRadar24 for showing this 747-8 departure out of Alliance Fort Worth at 2 p.m.
She ended up running a little late which worked out even better for the lighting.
What makes this one special is that she’s now N7478D. This is the 747 that was gifted to Trump from… pic.twitter.com/uigKGQNQY3
— Tori Mae Fontana (@LensOfMae) August 8, 2025
After President Trump departs the White House in January 2029, the aircraft is due to become part of his Presidential library. President Ronald Reagan’s Presidential library is currently the only one to feature an actual Air Force One aircraft, though the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library has requested the loan of a VC-25A upon the type’s retirement.
No official indication has been made thus far in this Presidency regarding the VC-25B’s livery, and whether the decision taken during President Joe Biden’s term to use a modified version of the present VC-25A scheme has been reversed. President Trump famously prefers a different livery using red, white, and a deeper shade of blue. A model of a 747-8 in these scheme features prominently in his Oval Office but any change to the VC-25B’s livery at this stage would almost certainly add cost and more delays to the project due to the need to certify that the paint does not cause thermal issues for various components, including the vital communications antennas.
The U.S. Air Force could use the donated 747-8 as an opportunity to placate President Trump’s wishes by operating the jet in his preferred livery, while the VC-25Bs – which will, regardless of delivery date, be used far more by subsequent holders of the office – could remain in the traditional colours that date back to President John F. Kennedy’s time in office.
