Air Force Buys Lufthansa's Boeing 747s as Delayed Air Force One Replacement Continues
The US Air Force is buying two Lufthansa Boeing 747-8s in 2026, but this move isn't about expanding the presidential fleet. Instead, it's a way for the Air Force to manage the fallout from the delayed Air Force One replacement program.
The VC-25B jets were originally supposed to arrive in 2024, but that timeline has slipped by years, forcing the Air Force to think more seriously about how it will train crews and support a future 747-8-based presidential fleet before the new aircraft are even ready.
The current Air Force One fleet dates back to 1990, when two specially modified Boeing VC-25A aircraft entered service. While 'Air Force One' is technically just the call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the president, these two jets have become synonymous with presidential transport.