How Much Does Air Force One Cost To Build?

How Much Does Air Force One Cost To Build
Boeing cites “lessons learnt” from the expensive Air Force One contract.13 July 2022: Vice President Joe Biden deplanes from Air Force One at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod, Israel, near Tel Aviv. LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) – Boeing’s military chief stated on Sunday that the company has learnt lessons from a deal to provide the U.S.

Presidency with new Air Force One aircraft, which has cost the planemaker almost $1 billion and has been delayed by up to three years. Ted Colbert did not provide specifics on the lessons learned, but he did say that they had contributed to the new delivery timetable for the two aircraft, which has pushed back deliveries to 2026 and 2027.

Colbert told reporters at a conference before the Farnborough air show, “The lessons learnt are crucial to us, and we will use them moving forward.” “We have modified the software. Changes have been made to how we work on the program.”

“These are difficult programs, and you learn as you go and modify as necessary,” he continued.
Boeing declared a $660 million charge for the program in April, compared to a $318 million charge in April 2021, “primarily due to COVID-19 implications and performance difficulties at a major supplier.”
When asked whether Boeing could recover these cost overruns, Colbert responded, “If we can find a way, we will.”

In 2018, Boeing was awarded a $3.9 billion contract for the delivery of two 747-8 aircraft beginning in 2024. In December 2016, then-President-elect Donald Trump received a commitment from then-Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg that the replacement of Air Force One would not cost more than $4 billion.

Trump has previously pushed the government not to purchase Boeing’s new Air Force One, calling it “crazy” and “extremely costly.” In April, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun deemed the transaction worrisome.
Calhoun stated, “Air Force One represents a unique time, negotiation, and combination of risks that Boeing probably should not have accepted.” “However, we are where we are, and we will provide excellent aircraft.

And we will acknowledge the costs connected with it.”

The Boeing 747-8s are outfitted with military avionics, enhanced communications, and a self-defense system to serve as an airborne White House capable of flying in the most extreme security circumstances, such as nuclear war.
David Shepardson has reported. Mark Potter’s editing
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Boeing cites “lessons learnt” from the expensive Air Force One contract.

What is the cost of replacing Air Force One?

Here are the expenses associated with constructing and maintaining Air Force One. President-elect Donald Trump caused controversy on Tuesday when he ordered Boeing to “cancel” President Barack Obama’s purchase for a “brand new 747 Air Force One,” stating that the business was costing more than $4 billion for a single aircraft.

Trump characterized the prices as “out of control.” He stated that the existing Air Force One is enough. In a subsequent discussion with the reporters outside Trump Tower, he stated, “I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number.” “We want Boeing to be profitable, but not too profitable.” Trump’s expense estimate was rather off-base.

According to, it will cost $2.87 billion between fiscal years 2015 and 2021 to construct not one but two new Air Force One planes, both of which are essential so that one may be used while the other is undergoing maintenance. If the project goes into 2021, it would likely require an additional $1 billion to finish.

Air Force One is obviously not an ordinary Boeing aircraft. The presidential aircraft must have particular operational and security characteristics, such as the ability to refuel mid-flight and evade missile assaults, as well as the ability to handle secure video conferences and secret computer access.

In essence, Air Force One is the Oval Office in the sky, which comes at a price. According to Politifact, the aircraft itself accounts for only one-fifth of the entire cost of Air Force One. This is the cost of governing the free world. It is crucial to remember that Obama did not ask for new Air Force One jets for no reason: the present aircraft, which were acquired by Ronald Reagan, are reaching the end of their 30-year lifespan.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Trump criticized Obama in 2014 for allegedly utilizing Air Force One for multimillion-dollar political fundraising trips. In an interview with Fox and Friends at the time, he stated, “He raises a million dollars, it costs between $25 million and $50 million, and the city of New York is shut down.” Given that a legislative investigation estimated the hourly expenditures of Air Force One to be $179,750, a fact check concluded that Obama’s visits would have cost between $360,000 and $1.6 million.

Trump’s criticism of Obama on this grounds has taken on an ironic tone in light of the president-insistence elect’s on doing business from Trump Tower, a move that will cost New York City about by the time of his inauguration. In addition to the security presence and demonstrators encircling the building, two of five traffic lanes have been restricted to accommodate the situation.

Trump questioned his aides how many days per week he would be expected to remain in the White House and expressed a desire to spend as much time as possible in New York following his election as president. According to reports, Mr. Trump, who was surprised to win the election, may spend the majority of the week in Washington, much like members of Congress, and return to Trump Tower, his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, or his Mar-a-Lago resort on weekends.

The distinction is that members of Congress are not required to utilize Air Force One. Unlike President Obama, who used Air Force One for legitimate government work, President-elect Trump appears to be considering whether he may use the aircraft to visit his many estates for strictly personal purposes.

On a Tuesday teleconference with reporters, Trump spokesperson Jason Miller attempted to explain the president-reasoning elect’s for “cancelling” the new Air Force Ones, according to The Washington Post. Miller stated, “I believe this demonstrates the president-commitment elect’s to reducing expenses across the board with respect to government expenditure.” “I believe that people are really dissatisfied with some of the high price tags for programs, including this one.

Therefore, we will seek for areas where we may reduce expenses and for strategies to save money “: Air Force One expenses: Here’s how much it costs to build and maintain the president’s jet.

In 2021, how much will the Air Force One project cost?

Trump characterized the prices as “out of control.” He stated that the existing Air Force One is enough.
In a subsequent discussion with the reporters outside Trump Tower, he stated, “I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number.” “We want Boeing to be profitable, but not too profitable.” Trump’s expense estimate was rather off-base.

Air Force One is obviously not an ordinary Boeing aircraft.
The presidential aircraft must have particular operational and security characteristics, such as the ability to refuel mid-flight and evade missile assaults, as well as the ability to handle secure video conferences and secret computer access.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Trump criticized Obama in 2014 for allegedly utilizing Air Force One for multimillion-dollar political fundraising trips.
In an interview with Fox and Friends at the time, he stated, “He raises a million dollars, it costs between $25 million and $50 million, and the city of New York is shut down.” Given that a legislative investigation estimated the hourly expenditures of Air Force One to be $179,750, a fact check concluded that Obama’s visits would have cost between $360,000 and $1.6 million.

Trump questioned his aides how many days per week he would be expected to remain in the White House and expressed a desire to spend as much time as possible in New York following his election as president.
According to reports, Mr.
Trump, who was surprised to win the election, may spend the majority of the week in Washington, much like members of Congress, and return to Trump Tower, his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, or his Mar-a-Lago resort on weekends.

On a Tuesday teleconference with reporters, Trump spokesperson Jason Miller attempted to explain the president-reasoning elect’s for “cancelling” the new Air Force Ones, according to The Washington Post.
Miller stated, “I believe this demonstrates the president-commitment elect’s to reducing expenses across the board with respect to government expenditure.” “I believe that people are really dissatisfied with some of the high price tags for programs, including this one.

Therefore, we will seek for areas where we may reduce expenses and for strategies to save money “: Air Force One expenses: Here’s how much it costs to build and maintain the president’s jet.

According to official budget records and public estimates, Air Force One, the aircraft that flies the president of the United States, cost around $2 billion to build and more than $200,000 every flight. Taxpayers cover a portion or the entire cost of Air Force One, regardless of whether the aircraft is utilized for official or partisan purposes.