New paint design for ‘Next Air Force One’, VC-25B

Joe Biden, President of the United States,  has changed the former President Trump’s livery design for the “Next Air Force One,” VC-25B, settling on a new paint design which will more closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernising the look for the 21st century.

While accounting for the VC-25B’s larger 747-8i aircraft, the VC-25B livery has three primary differences from the VC-25A livery. The light blue on the VC-25B is a marginally deeper, more modern tone than the VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. In addition, the VC-25B engines will use the darker blue from the cockpit area compared to the VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. Lastly, there is no polished metal section on the VC-25B as modern commercial aircraft skin alloys do not allow for it.

No formal contractual decision for a VC-25B livery was required until this year for Boeing to conduct engineering, certification preparation and supplier selection activities for the programme. The Air Force previously displayed a red, white, and blue livery for the VC-25B because it had been publicly expressed as a preferred livery in 2019. A thermal study later concluded the dark blue in the design would require additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing for several commercial components due to the added heat in certain environments.

The VC-25B Programme will deliver a new fleet of aircraft to enable POTUS to execute the duties of Head of State, Chief Executive, and Commander in Chief. The aircraft will be uniquely modified to provide the POTUS, staff, and guests with safe and reliable air transportation with the equivalent level of communications capability and security available in the White House.

The VC-25B aircraft will replace the current VC-25A fleet, which faces capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence. Modifications to the aircraft will include electrical power upgrades, a mission communication system, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defence system and autonomous ground operations capabilities.

Deliveries of the new aircraft are projected for 2027 for the first aircraft and 2028 for the second aircraft. The Air Force remains postured to keep VC-25A available and mission-ready until delivery of the VC-25B.