US Air Force to Buy Two Boeing 747-8 Planes From Lufthansa to Support Future Air Force One Fleet

The US Air Force has announced plans to purchase two Boeing 747-8 aircraft from German airline Lufthansa as it prepares for the future of the presidential airlift program and the eventual replacement of the current Air Force One fleet.

According to the Air Force, the two planes will be acquired at a combined cost of $400 million and will be used to support training and spare parts for the upcoming 747-8-based Air Force One aircraft, known as the VC-25B. The Air Force said the purchase is necessary because the 747-8 is no longer in production and differs significantly from the 747-200 models that currently serve as Air Force One.

The first aircraft is expected to be delivered early next year, with the second arriving before the end of 2026. The announcement follows confirmation that the long-delayed delivery of the new Air Force One aircraft has been pushed back again, with the first of two newly modified jets now expected in mid-2028.

The Air Force originally planned to receive the replacement aircraft in 2022, but the program has faced repeated delays. Even with the updated timeline, officials say the aircraft could still be in service before the end of President Donald Trump’s term. One of the current Air Force One planes has been in operation since 1990.

Earlier this month, the Air Force approved a $15.5 million contract modification with Boeing, bringing the total value of the Air Force One replacement program to more than $4.3 billion. The aircraft are currently being modified in San Antonio, with upgrades focused on modern communications systems and evolving mission requirements.

Separately, questions continue to surround a donated jet from Qatar that Trump has said he would accept for use as Air Force One. Aviation experts and former officials have raised concerns about security, legality, and whether the aircraft could realistically be ready for presidential use in the near future.

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