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

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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 acquiring two Boeing 747-8i aircraft from Lufthansa for approximately $400 million, primarily to serve as training platforms and a source of spare parts for the upcoming VC-25B (new Air Force One) fleet.
This purchase is crucial for establishing a sustainment strategy, as the 747-8i is no longer in production and represents a significant upgrade from the current 747-200-based presidential aircraft.
The development of the two main VC-25B Air Force One aircraft has faced multi-year delays due to technical problems and supply chain issues, with their readiness now expected by mid-2028.
Amidst these delays, former President Trump accepted an interim 747-8 from Qatar for presidential use, though aviation experts are skeptical of his stated goal for its debut as early as February 2026.

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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.