The final price tag for two new almost-new VC-25B executive transport aircraft for the Air Force is now pegged at $5.3 billion. Defense One is reporting the Pentagon has asked for $4.68 billion for the conversion of two mothballed Boeing 747-8i airliners in its 2020 budget request and full implementation of the program will add the other $600 million or so to create the aircraft, which are used to fly the president and are designated Air Force One when he's onboard. "The total VC-25B acquisition cost … is $5.3B and encompasses all costs associated with fielding the system," Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek is quoted as stating in an email to Defense One.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/ownership/air-force-one-replacement-at-5-3-billion