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Air Force Sets Mid-2028 Delivery for First New Air Force One After Approving Communications Upgrade

A $15.5 million communications upgrade will be integrated without changing the program’s schedule.

Air Force One, with U.S. President Donald Trump on board, departs for the U.S. from Gimhae International Airport, in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeon
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Overview

  • An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the first VC-25B is now targeted for delivery in mid-2028, earlier than the previously signaled 2028–2029 window.
  • The service added $15.5 million for upgraded communications on both aircraft, a modification it says fits within the current plan.
  • The change lifts the total contract value to more than $4.3 billion and is separate from the firm-fixed-price engineering and manufacturing development work.
  • The communications integration is expected to be finished by December 2026, according to the Air Force.
  • In parallel, the administration is pursuing a retrofit of a Qatar-donated 747 as an interim option, with officials citing a sub-$400 million cost and funding shifted from the Sentinel ICBM program.