With delays mounting, and the president taking a vested interest in the program’s progress, Boeing has a massive PR problem on its hands.

President Trump has made his grievances with Boeing, and their delays with their long-overdue Air Force One replacement, well-known since retaking the Oval Office in January. Periodically, Trump has even floated the idea of finding alternative arrangements for the next Air Force One. Now, reports are surfacing that Trump is interested in procuring and modifying a Boeing 747-8—one which formerly belonged to the Qatari royal family—for use as an interim Air Force One. Aerospace firm L3Harris is understood to be conducting the modifications to the Qatari 747.

Are these rumors true? Would modifying an old 747 sufficiently to meet the demanding standards of the presidential plane even be possible? Or is Trump just spouting hot air to ratchet up pressure on Boeing? 

Delays Abound with the New Air Force One

The current plan is for the Air Force to replace its current Air Force One fleet, which consists of two Boeing VC-25As (derived from the Boeing 747-200) with two VC-25Bs (derived from the 747-8i). 

The 747-200s, which the existing Air Force One is based upon, “have all but disappeared from the skies,” The War Zone reported. This means that “finding parts and general support for the type is getting harder and more expensive with each passing year.” Of course, the 747-8is for the new Air Force One are not exactly current either; production of all 747s ceased in December 2022, so, the VC-25Bs are being converted from second-hand airplanes—a process that has been very complicated. Delays have stemmed from a variety of reasons, including “issues with acquiring components for the aircraft since some of the manufacturers have gone out of business, as well as changing requirements on “evolving potential threats,”” The War Zone reported. 

Last summer, the VC-25Bs’ first flight was delayed 16 months, until March 2026. Now, Boeing is stating that the VC-25B may not be delivered until 2029 at the earliest. (Remember that delivery was originally slated for December 2024.) Because Trump’s second term expires in January 2029, the 2029 VC-25B delivery likely won’t occur until Trump leaves office—hence the president’s ire.

The Air Force One Contract Has Been a Nightmare for Boeing

The VC-25B has caused significant problems for Boeing, who has acknowledged losing more than $2 billion on the program to date. The overall cost of the program was always going to be exorbitant; at $4.7 billion for the aircraft alone, the VC-25B is expected to be the most expensive aircraft ever. Now, with delays mounting, and the President taking a vested interest in the program’s progress, Boeing has a massive PR problem on their hands.

“The prestige of the new Air Force Ones, the mounting costs and delays, and Trump’s affinity for an experience with luxury aircraft, have seen the [president] take a very personal interest in the program,” The War Zone reported—which would explain why Trump is now pushing the program in an alternative direction. 

We’ll see soon if the rumors, about a Qatari 747 conversion, are in fact true, and if L3Harris is indeed working to accommodate Trump’s personal timeline. 

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

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