Washington: The delivery of the U.S. President’s new ‘Air Force One’ has been delayed once more, with the U.S. Air Force announcing that the first of the two presidential aircraft from Boeing is now expected to be delivered by mid-2028. This marks another delay in the program that has experienced several postponements already.

According to Thai News Agency, the delay might displease President Donald Trump, who has previously expressed a desire to utilize the new aircraft before his term ends in January 2029. The cost for Boeing to construct these two new aircraft has now exceeded $5 billion. The current Air Force One, which entered service in 1990, is due for replacement, and the new program involves modifying two 747-8 aircraft with advanced communications and defense systems for presidential transport.

The program, initially contracted to Boeing in 2018 for $3.9 billion, has seen costs rise since then. The delay could mean a postponement of up to four years, with the new delivery date set for 2028. In efforts to address this issue, the U.S. received a Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar in May, and the White House has tasked the Air Force with expediting the conversion of this aircraft for presidential use. L3 Harris Technologies, a defense contractor, has been chosen to convert the Qatari 747 into Air Force One.

President Trump, earlier this year, expressed dissatisfaction with the delays but decided against selecting Airbus, a European competitor, as an alternative.