Air Force to Buy Lufthansa 747s for Presidential Airlift

Branch expects to pay $400 million for the aircraft.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A rendering of the new VC-25B [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Wikimedia Commons]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force is purchasing two Boeing 747-8i aircraft from Lufthansa for approximately $400 million, with deliveries expected by early next year and late 2026.
These newly acquired 747-8is will be used for training and as a source of spare parts for the next-generation Air Force One (VC-25B) fleet, which are also 747-8i variants.
The acquisition is crucial because the 747-8i is no longer in production and differs significantly from the current Air Force One aircraft, necessitating a dedicated training and sustainment strategy.
The overall VC-25B program, which involves extensive modifications for the new presidential aircraft, has faced significant technical and supply chain delays, pushing its expected readiness to mid-2028.

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The U.S. Air Force plans to buy two Boeing 747-8i aircraft from German carrier Lufthansa to support its presidential airlift program.

According to a Reuters report, the Air Force will use the jets for training and as a source of spare parts for two other 747-8is being modified by Boeing to serve as the next Air Force One. This upgraded military version of the 747 is known as the VC-25B.