US Trends

when will the new air force one be ready

The new “Air Force One” situation is a bit split: one jet should be ready for use around summer 2026, while the fully new 747‑8 fleet is not expected until 2027–2028 (or later), and dates are still shifting.

When will the new Air Force One be ready?

Two different “new” Air Force Ones

There are actually two parallel projects people are talking about when they ask “when will the new Air Force One be ready?”.

  1. A “bridge” Air Force One
    • A former Qatari VIP 747 being converted into a temporary presidential aircraft.
 * Intended to support the presidential airlift mission while the main replacement program struggles with delays.
  1. The VC‑25B program (the big, long‑term replacement)
    • Two heavily modified Boeing 747‑8 jets that will replace today’s VC‑25A aircraft.
 * This is what most people think of as _the_ new Air Force One.

Both will carry the callsign “Air Force One” whenever the president is on board, but they are different programs with different timelines.

Timeline: bridge jet vs VC‑25B

1. Qatari “bridge” jet

  • The modified Qatari aircraft is projected to be delivered no later than summer 2026 , roughly a year after its heavy modification work began.
  • The Air Force has not publicly guaranteed that it will be immediately ready for presidential service upon delivery; additional testing and certification may be needed before it routinely flies as Air Force One.
  • Former President Trump suggested it could be in use by February 2026 , but officials and reporting have treated that as optimistic rather than a firm schedule.

In practical terms, that means:

You can expect the bridge jet to exist and be in Air Force hands by summer 2026, but real‑world “full service” as Air Force One might lag behind delivery while they finish tests and procedures.

2. VC‑25B (main new Air Force One fleet)

The VC‑25B program has gone through multiple rounds of delays and re‑planning.

Key points:

  • Earlier plans had the first new jet delivered around September 2026 , already 2–3 years behind the original schedule.
  • Program updates later pushed expectations further:
    • Some official and industry reporting put the first VC‑25B delivery around 2027 , with the second around 2028.
* A U.S. Air Force schedule slip reported in late 2025 indicated the program was now about **four years behind** its plan, with delivery sliding to **mid‑2028**.

* Other coverage has even suggested the possibility of **2029 or later** depending on how remaining technical and schedule issues play out.

Put simply:

The best current public expectation is that the first VC‑25B won’t be fully delivered until roughly 2027–2028 , with the second following afterwards, and there is real risk of further delay.

Why it keeps slipping

Several factors show up again and again in public reporting on the VC‑25B delays:

  • Complex modifications
    Turning a commercial 747‑8 into a flying command center with hardened communications, defense systems, and unique interior layouts is far more involved than a normal VIP refit.
  • Program rebaselining
    The Air Force had to formally “re‑baseline” the schedule around 2022, effectively admitting that the prior plan wasn’t realistic and building in 2–3 extra years from the already‑slipped dates.
  • Technical and operational hurdles
    Reports cite ongoing technical issues, integration challenges, and production inefficiencies that are still being worked through.
  • Living schedule
    Officials have repeatedly said Boeing is “updating the schedule” , warning that any dates given now may change again as they re‑assess progress.

So while you’ll see headlines like “delivery expected mid‑2028,” even those come with a built‑in disclaimer: not guaranteed.

What this means in practice

If you’re asking: “When will the new Air Force One be ready?” , here’s the short, realistic view using current public information:

  • A “new” Air Force One could appear as early as summer 2026 , using the converted Qatari jet as a bridge aircraft, assuming post‑delivery testing goes smoothly and it’s cleared for presidential missions.
  • The full next‑generation VC‑25B fleet is unlikely to be in full service before the late 2020s , with mid‑2028 often cited as a tentative target, and a real possibility of dates moving toward 2029.

Until then, the existing VC‑25A aircraft will continue to serve as Air Force One whenever the president is on board.

Bottom line: you’ll probably see a “new” Air Force One in some form by around 2026, but the fully modern replacement fleet is more of a late‑decade story than a near‑term one.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.