Overview
- The Air Force now projects first delivery of the VC-25B in mid-2028, an improvement from a 2029 estimate yet still years past the original 2024 target.
- The service awarded Boeing a $15.5 million modification to integrate upgraded communications, stating the work fits within the current schedule.
- To bolster training and sustainment on a type no longer in production, the Air Force is buying two 747-8s for about $400 million, with deliveries in 2026; officials say the jets are from Lufthansa.
- A separate Qatari-donated 747-8 is being converted by L3Harris for potential interim presidential use, though cost, schedule, and configuration details remain largely undisclosed.
- GAO-cited workforce and technical shortfalls continue and Boeing has recorded roughly $2.4 billion in program charges, as the Air Force adds about $201 million in its 2026 budget for acceleration efforts.