Washington [US], December 15: The deadline for the delivery of the new Boeing aircraft for the US President, Air Force One, has been announced to be delayed again, pushed back by at least another year.
According to the newly updated timeline from the U.S. Air Force , the first of two specially equipped Boeing 747-8s (also known as the VC-25B program) will not enter service until at least 2028.
"On December 12, 2025, the U.S. Air Force approved a $15.5 million amendment to an existing contract with Boeing for the VC-25B program," AFP quoted a U.S. Air Force spokesperson as saying on December 15.
A spokesperson said the newly added costs relate to "integrating new communications capabilities," and that this work can be completed within the program's current timeframe, with the first VC-25B aircraft expected to be delivered in mid-2028.
Previously, the US Air Force announced that the first aircraft would be delivered in 2027. However, no specific reason was given for this delay.
The major American aerospace corporation Boeing has repeatedly faced delays and financial losses related to its fixed-price contract to replace Air Force One, currently used by US President Donald Trump.
Signed in 2018, during Trump's first presidential term, the contract is worth $3.9 billion and the first aircraft are expected to be delivered in late 2024.
The exact timeline is still being discussed between the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the US Air Force.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper