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The U.S. Air Force said Friday that delivery of the first of two new Air Force One presidential aircraft has been delayed.
The delay pushes the timeline to mid-2028, roughly four years behind the original schedule and the latest setback in a long-troubled program, according to Reuters.
President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly aboard the new presidential fleet before the end of his term in January 2029.
Boeing is under contract to convert two Boeing 747-8 aircraft into the next generation of Air Force One. They will have advanced communications, security, and defensive systems. The current Air Force One aircraft entered service in 1990.
The cost to build the two new jets has climbed to more than $5 billion, according to Reuters. Boeing was awarded the contract in 2018 for $3.9 billion, but has since recorded about $2.4 billion in charges tied to delays and cost overruns.
Despite the setback, Boeing said it continues to make progress on the program.
"Our focus is on delivering two exceptional Air Force One airplanes for the country," the company said in a statement to Reuters.
As the program continues to slip, the White House pursued interim options. In May, the United States accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner from Qatar as a gift, and the Air Force was tasked with rapidly upgrading the aircraft for potential presidential use. Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies was selected to overhaul the aircraft, Reuters reported.
Trump has previously criticized Boeing over the repeated delays, but ruled out European rival Airbus as an alternative. Earlier this year, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said billionaire Elon Musk, who serves as an advisor to Trump, was assisting the company in navigating delivery challenges related to the presidential aircraft.
In June, Boeing hired Steve Sullivan, a former Northrup Grumman executive with experience on programs, such as the B-21 bomber, to lead the Air Force One program. He replaced Gregg Coffey, who transitioned to another role within the company, according to Reuters. RELATED ARTICLES:'We almost had a midair collision:' JetBlue pilot describes close call with Air Force refuelerATC tells Spirit Airlines pilot to 'get off the iPad,' get away from Air Force One