Boeing’s plan to deliver the next version of Air Force One keeps hitting snags, and the finish line keeps moving further out of sight. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that the project, already years behind schedule and billions over budget, is still running into the same old problems.
Back in 2018, during President Donald Trump’s first term, Boeing signed a $3.9 billion deal to build and customize two Boeing 747-8 jets to serve as the new Air Force One fleet by 2024. But now, the delivery has been pushed to at least the end of 2029, and even that’s looking uncertain.
According to Fortune, the Pentagon said that “ongoing design issues, modification rework, and workforce challenges slowed the progress toward modifying two Boeing 747-8 aircraft into presidential aircraft.”
To meet the strict standards required for Air Force One, Boeing has to make major changes to the jets, especially when it comes to security and long-distance travel features, which has significantly slowed down the production timeline. One feature that’s been scrapped is the ability for the VC-25B aircraft to refuel midair, a requirement President Trump chose to forego.
According to the GAO, work on the aircraft has hit a wall due to problems with decompression systems and the design of its environmental controls. On top of that, Boeing’s certification plans and aircraft design are still incomplete, which has delayed testing. The company has also struggled to maintain a consistent team of workers on the project.
“Boeing still faces challenges hiring and retaining qualified mechanics due to ongoing market conditions, according to VC-25B officials,” the report states. “Program officials said that approval rates for mechanics to acquire necessary clearances remain a workforce limitation.”
Despite all that, Boeing cut around 10 percent of its workforce last year, despite a tight labor market across the industry.
Although Trump signed off on the new Air Force One jets during his first term, there’s a strong chance he won’t get to fly on them while in office. In February 2024, Boeing pushed the delivery date from May 2027 to December 2029, and even that’s uncertain. A senior Boeing official told Reuters the project could end up stretching “years beyond” that revised timeline.
The problems slowing Boeing’s progress today aren’t all that different from those that have held things up in the past. A June 2022 GAO report pointed out that Boeing was already struggling to find enough qualified mechanics, partly due to a tough job market and because many of the skilled workers couldn’t get the necessary security clearances.
“Employees must meet stringent security requirements to work on the VC-25B program because of its presidential mission,” the report articulated. “VC-25B officials said that Boeing continues to work with the program office to improve the prescreening process for applicants to ensure timely processing of security clearances.”
At the start of Trump’s second term, Boeing turned to Elon Musk, who was then running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for guidance. Speaking at a Barclays conference in February, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said Musk’s advice did help to clear up some production snarls.
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