Air Force One: Boeing VC-25B, ex-Qatari jet on track for delivery in 2027
September 23, 2025
The Air Force claims both Boeing’s two VC-25A ‘Air Force One‘ aircraft and the interim ex-Qatar Amiri Flight Boeing 747-8 are on schedule. If these schedules are adhered to, then President Trump may be able to fly with both aircraft before his term expires at the beginning of 2029.
USAF says Boeing VC-25A and ex-Qatari 747 remain on schedule
According to reporting by Aviation Week, USAF Secretary Troy Meink stated progress is being made on both the purpose-built Boeing VC-25B and retrofitted former Qatari Boeing 747 (N7478D). He stated that the contractors have accelerated their work on the aircraft.
Speaking at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Meink stated that he is “impressed” with the progress of both programmes and that he believes they are both on schedule.
He claimed more progress has been made in the last three to four months than in the previous three years, and this will allow the first aircraft to be delivered in 2027.
In his first term, Trump pressured Boeing to accept a fixed price contract of $3.9 billion for the aircraft. That became a decision Boeing grew to regret as it is now taking billions of dollars in losses on the contract.
Happening Now—President Trump is looking out the window on Air Force One as we enter Qatar air space with a fighter jet escort. Landing shortly at Hamad International Airport in Qatar.
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) May 14, 2025
Thank you!🇺🇸🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/0a4RGm4WB8
The first VC-25B “Air Force One” Presidential aircraft (based on the Boeing 747-8i) had been originally expected to be delivered in December 2024, but that was later delayed to 2029. Now Boeing is planning to deliver the first jet in 2027, which would allow Trump to fly it during his current term.
Ex-Qatari VIP 747’s retrofit remains classified
It is unclear which contractor is working to deliver the former Qatari jet. The New York Times also reported that around $1 billion in funds allocated to the USAF’s LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM programme has been redirected for the aircraft. In addition to the contractor, the cost and schedule of the retrofit also remain classified.
This was confirmed by Meink, who said funds from the Sentinel programme are being used to pay for the conversion.
The ICBM Sentinels are expected to start replacing the ageing Minuteman III ICBMs, although it might not be until 2050 that the final Minuteman IIIs are taken offline.
Trump’s controversial new VIP aircraft
The announcement follows speculation that the Qatari Boeing 747-8i would not be retrofitted in time before either Trump’s second term expires or the first Boeing VC-25B enters service, whichever comes first.
Given the truncated schedule for bringing the Qatari jet into service, it is unclear if, or how many, reduced capabilities it will have. For example, it might not have an in-air refuelling capability.
While it is clear that the existing Boeing 747-200Bs that make up the ‘Air Force One’ fleet are ageing and becoming increasingly expensive to operate, the ex-Qatari jet is likely to be one of the most expensive USAF acquisitions in history.
The former Qatari 747-8i may have been donated for ‘free’, but the cost of retrofitting it is anything but free. Around $1 billion is known to have been reallocated to the expedited retrofit.
.@POTUS says the new retrofitted Air Force One could be ready by as early as February ✈️ pic.twitter.com/6gJJ5rCk6D
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 29, 2025
But worse is that the aircraft will only fly for a matter of months or a couple of years before it is replaced by the new, more capable VC-25B built by Boeing. In July, Trump said the Air Force would get the retrofitted aircraft “a year and a half, a couple of years early.”
The White House Rapid Response account posted that it may be ready as soon as February, presumably February 2026. While the ex-Qatari aircraft may only fly for up to two years, the current VC-25A aircraft will have served around 37 years by the time they retire.
