According to the Wall Street Journal website on December 12th, US President elect Donald Trump did not have the opportunity to ride the new Air Force One during his first term, and he is likely to miss out on the new presidential plane in his second term.
This long delayed project is far behind schedule. According to insiders, Boeing has informed the US Air Force that the new aircraft is expected to be delivered after Trump's new term expires. This means that the new aircraft will not be ready until 2029 or later.
Trump, who was frustrated by the delay, mentioned this project during a phone call with Boeing CEO Kelly Altberg in November. As he prepares to return to the White House, Trump has repeatedly asked advisers about the progress of the new Air Force One project.
According to relevant sources, Trump told his aides that Boeing was once a great American company. What happened to them now? "Trump asked.
Boeing and Air Force representatives refused to discuss the timeline for the project. Boeing has stated, "We are proud of this work. Our focus is to provide the country with two outstanding Air Force One aircraft
According to reports, an Air Force spokesperson said that the schedule for the project is expected to be updated in the spring of 2025.
During his first term, Trump awarded Boeing a contract worth $3.9 billion. After more than a year of negotiations, all parties have demanded that the company deliver a new presidential plane to replace the two Boeing 747s that have been in service since the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
After initially suggesting that the Pentagon cancel the deal, Trump personally participated in negotiations, lowered the contract price, and ordered the adoption of a new color scheme in red, white, and blue. He also kept a redesigned airplane model in his residence, Haihu Manor.
Boeing has already spent over $2 billion on this fixed price contract. The contract has exceeded the budget and is plagued by production failures and management issues.
This summer, then Boeing executive Ted Colbert warned that the project was facing supply chain obstacles and worker shortages. He told reporters in July, "Our team is working hard to complete an extremely challenging project
The challenges that Boeing needs to overcome include installing the complex wiring system and interior of the aircraft, as well as finding enough employees who can obtain the highest safety certification to participate in this highly confidential project. Boeing also had a dispute with an important Air Force One subcontractor, which declared bankruptcy in 2021.
The contract initially required Boeing to deliver the aircraft no later than 2024. The latest schedule released in 2023 requires Boeing to deliver aircraft in 2027.