Boeing’s Air Force One production is facing continued delays because the manufacturer can’t consistently hire and retain mechanics

• Air Force One fell in Boeing years behind the schedule Billions of dollars on the budget amid the continuation of employment and hiccup design. The government accountability office said in this week’s report, “Continuous design issues, reformulation of the amendment, and the challenges of the workforce” still suffer from the manufacturer. The Trump administration has resorted to purchasing a plane plane from Qatar worth $ 400 million to serve as a temporary Air Force.

Boeing continues to fight production issues that suffer from aircraft that will work as Air Force One, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

A report issued on Wednesday said that the Pentagon told the auditors in the congress that “the issues of design continuous, reformulation of the amendment, and the challenges of the workforce slowed the progress towards the amendment of the Boeing 747-8 plane in presidential aircraft.”

During the era of President Donald Trump, the United States signed a $ 3.9 billion contract with Boeing in 2018 to design, amend and test them to serve as the first air force by 2024, but the ongoing delays prompted the project after the delivery date.

In order for the plane to meet the Air Force One specifications, Boeing needs to aircraft aircraft to meet the security needs of travel and contestants, which greatly slowed the production process. Trump has dropped the requirements of the VC-25B aircraft to obtain the capabilities of air aircraft, allowing it to receive fuel from a carrier during flying.

The government accounting office said that the progress made in the plane is stopped as a result of issues related to the depiction of the environmental control system, and that the plans of incomplete certificates in Boeing and aircraft design have also pushed back to test. The aircraft manufacturer was unable to maintain a fixed workforce for the project.

The report said: “Boeing is still facing the challenges of recruiting and preserving qualified mechanics due to the continuous market conditions, according to VC-25B officials.” “Program officials said that the approval rates of mechanics to obtain necessary permits are still restrictions on the workforce.”

Last fall, Boeing announced plans to lay off 10 % of the workforce, despite the lack of talent at the level of industry.

While Boeing tries to pay her scheduling problems, Trump instead bought $ 400 million from Boeing 474 from Qatar after threatening him in February to find alternatives to the VC-25B project. The talented Qatari plane has not only raised moral and security concerns, but the taxpayers may cost one billion dollars in the service of the aircraft standards and their update.

The part of 10 numbers of change is at the top of the cost of development and the expected purchases of Boeing, according to GAO, which amounts to about $ 6.2 billion-at least two billion dollars more expensive than the cost in the original in the contract.

Boeing and the Pentagon did not respond luckComment requests.

Years of delay

Although Trump cost Boeing to the new aircraft during his first term, there is a good opportunity because the president will not fly to fly the new air force during his administration. In February 2024, Boeing reviewed its delivery schedule from May 2027 to December 2029, but a senior Boeing official Reuters In February The program can extend “years after” 2029. 

The problems with Boeing’s production are now similar to delay variables from the past years. In the GAO report in June 2022, auditors said that the Boeing Mechanical Manpower was limited because of the competitive labor market and that many skilled workers needed in the project were unable to obtain security approval.

The report said: “The employees must meet strict security requirements to work on the VC-25B program because of its presidential mission.” “VC-25B officials said Boeing continues to work with the program’s office to improve the examination process for applicants to ensure time safety permits.”

Earlier in Trump’s second state, Boeing sought the help of Elon Musk, the former leader of the Ministry of Government – DOGE. The CEO of Boeing Kelly Ordberg said at the Barclays Conference in February, and has helped the consultant to remove some production bottlenecks. Musk San Antonio, Texas, visited a facility in December 2024.

“It is clear that the president is not satisfied with the timing of delivery. I think he has become a good known,” said Ordrag. “Willon Musk actually helps us a lot.”

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

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2025-06-13 09:00:00