Qatari 747 to fly as Trump’s Air Force One this summer
The controversial aircraft donated by the Qatari government is set to transport the Commander-in-Chief after less than a year of modification work, according to the Air Force.
How the Air Force is revamping its acquisition shop with new ‘portfolios’
The fresh approach is meant to streamline weapons procurement and cut through bureaucracy, though details like exactly what authorities new Portfolio Acquisition Executives will have are being worked out.
presented by
Winning the cognitive domain — A methodology built for democratic constraints
The challenge for Western democratic institutions is not a lack of capability — it is a structural one.
Air Force buying two Lufthansa 747s for delayed Air Force One program
The service is spending $400 million on the pair of jumbo jets for training and spares.
Air Force expects first delivery of delayed Boeing Air Force One jets in ‘mid-2028’
The new date marks some progress for the beleaguered Air Force One program, whose challenges have cost Boeing billions of dollars.
Boeing hires former Northrop exec to lead Air Force One program
Steve Sullivan, formerly vice president and general manager of Northrop’s strike division, has been tapped to lead Boeing’s VC-25B program, according to an internal email reviewed by Breaking Defense.
Boeing ‘very close’ to finalizing Air Force One design changes
“Over the last four or five months, we've made more progress than we've made in the last four years. … We have been able to see our way through some of these requirements that were just physically impossible to do,” said Steve Parker, the interim CEO of Boeing’s defense business.
Satellites at the center: Inside the Pentagon’s next-gen space architecture
From emerging data networks to missile tracking and cyber resilience, Breaking Defense’s latest eBook brings together essential reporting on the evolving role of satellites in national security.
Before lawmakers, Hegseth refuses to disclose cost, schedule to convert Qatari jet to Air Force One
The secretary of defense also defended cuts to the E-7 Wedgetail, Constellation-class frigate, and Ukraine assistance funds during the congressional hearing.
Pentagon considers big shifts for Sentinel ICBM, drone wingmen in FY25, draft documents say
The Air Force could cut about $1 billion from the Sentinel ICBM and add hundreds of millions of dollars for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone wingmen program, a draft April proposal says.
Democrats say potential Qatari ‘gift’ of a new Air Force One raises ‘serious’ concerns
Trump seemingly confirmed the plan to turn a Qatari-owned 747 into a new presidential transport plane, stating that “the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One.”
Air Force considers loosening Air Force One requirements to hit 2027 delivery
A separate Boeing project to integrate a new radar on the B-52 Stratofortress bomber has also suffered a cost breach, said Air Force official Darlene Costello.
Trump ‘clearly not happy’ with delivery schedule for new Air Force One jets, Boeing CEO says
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk is “helping us in a big way” to speed up the schedule for the two planes, as setbacks risk delaying their delivery until after Trump leaves office.
Boeing to log $1.7B in defense program losses in fourth quarter
Boeing’s total year end charges of $4.9 billion on its troubled portfolio of fixed price weapons contracts is the largest-ever loss for its defense unit, up from losses of $4.4 billion in 2022.
Fixed-price contracts to drive new losses for Boeing’s defense arm in second quarter: Exec
“We had a good start to the year, but this quarter you’ll see to be significantly challenged. It'll look like it looked the third quarter of last year,” Boeing's defense CEO Ted Colbert told reporters ahead of Farnborough Airshow.
First flight of new Air Force One jet slips to 2026, Air Force says
Boeing is currently revising the schedule for the presidential jetliner once again, which is expected to be updated later this summer, according to an Air Force spokesperson.