Boeing Air Force One delays worsen as report reveals interior design problems

Boeing’s long-delayed efforts to field two new Air Force One aircraft faces more setbacks as interior design problems continue to disrupt wiring, structural work and preparations for flight testing, according to a new government report.

The Pentagon report released on August 3, 2026, said the design for the VC-25B cabin remains behind schedule because of unresolved technical and certification issues.

VC-25B is the official Air Force designation for the two modified Boeing 747-8s that will replace the current presidential aircraft fleet, designated VC-25A.

The slow progress is affecting other parts of the modification program and forcing Boeing to redo work as designs change, according to the report, which was prepared as part of the Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget submission.

“The design maturity for the aircraft interior continues to lag due to numerous technical and certification issues,” the report said.

The work includes a new executive interior, upgraded electrical power, secure communications, military avionics, defensive systems and equipment that will allow the aircraft to operate with less ground support.

Problems with the interior date back several years. Boeing lost its original cabin supplier, GDC Technics, after terminating the company’s contract in 2021. It later moved the work to another supplier, but the transition slowed the design and certification process.

The latest report said delays to the cabin have spread into wiring design and fabrication as well as structural modifications to the two aircraft. This has resulted in “inefficient engineering work” and repeated changes to parts of the airplanes that Boeing had already begun modifying.

The Air Force is working toward delivery of the first aircraft in 2028 and the second in 2029. The report warned that the planned test schedule will be difficult to meet if more unexpected work emerges or testing takes longer than expected.

Boeing said in July that it still expects to deliver the first VC-25B in 2028. The company recorded another $280 million loss on the program during the second quarter after adding production and certification resources in an effort to protect the schedule.

Boeing has also agreed with the Air Force to shift the aircraft from FAA certification to a military certification process. Company officials said the change and the added resources should help reduce risks during certification and flight testing.

Repairs are still needed for cracks found in structural stringers on both 747-8s. As of April, 95 repairs or installations remained on the first aircraft and 142 on the second, according to the report. Stringers run along the fuselage and help carry structural loads.

The program is also dealing with a shortage of certified 747-8 cockpit windshields. The report said there were no spare commercial 747-8 windshields available. Supplier PPG was working on a replacement design that still needed certification, while also developing a modified version for the VC-25B.

Passenger windows are creating another problem. Supplier GKN has struggled to meet strict limits on defects and particles inside the window assemblies. Any further delays could hold up pressurization tests, interior installation and ground and flight testing.

The VC-25B program has suffered repeated schedule setbacks and billions of dollars in losses since Boeing accepted a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract in 2018.

Earlier Air Force reports had already identified wiring, interior work, worker shortages and slow modification rates as major risks. A 2023 report said Boeing had lost much of the time built into its schedule even before the latest delivery targets were established.

The current VC-25As are modified Boeing 747-200s that entered service in 1990. The Air Force plans to keep both aircraft available until the replacements can carry out the full presidential airlift mission.

Meanwhile, the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, which the Trump administration has used as a temporary Air Force One, is being taken out of service temporarily to undergo additional modifications to improve its security and mission capabilities.

“The Air Force remains postured to keep the VC-25A aircraft available and mission ready until the VC-25B can support full mission requirements,” the latest report said.The post Boeing Air Force One delays worsen as report reveals interior design problems appeared first on AeroTime.

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