President-elect Donald Trump said in a tweet Tuesday morning that Boeing’s costs for the next Air Force One, now in development, are “out of control,” and added, “Cancel order!” The costs, according to Trump, are already up to more than $4 billion. Boeing responded with a short statement, noting that “We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serve the unique requirements of the President of the United States.We look forward to working with the U.S. Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the President at the best value for the American taxpayer.” The current Air Force One aircraft are nearly 30 years old. Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group, told the Washington Post Trump’s tweet was “completely nonsensicaland based on exactly nothing.”
Boeing is under contract to build two airplanes to serve as Air Force One. The entire cost of the program is expected to reach $4 billion, the Post said, citing an analysis byTodd Harrison, a defense analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The two new 747 aircraft, to be delivered in 2023, would be faster, with longer range than the current ones, and with newer technologies throughout. Boeing won a competition to supply the airplanes in January 2015.The 747-8 was the only plane made in the United States that could meet the requirements for the presidential aircraft, according to the Post. The two airplanes must be equipped with top-secret communications gear and security features that would enable the president to handle a global crisis, if necessary, while aloft.
Trump told reporters later on Tuesday that he thinks the contract is “ridiculous,” and “Boeing is doing a little bit of a number.” Aboulafia told USA Today that costs of $3 billion to $4 billion for the contract would be reasonable, and a belief otherwise is “completely ignorant.” He added, “This is the wrong place to talk about cost control.” In response to rumors that Trump may prefer to keep his own airplane, a Boeing 757 with a custom cabin and 24k gold-plated bathroom fixtures, Aboulafia was aghast. “That’s up there with talking-to-aliens-on-the-toaster weird,” he said.
