United States Air Force confirms new livery for Air Force One

The U.S. military has confirmed that future Air Force One aircraft will adopt a red, white, gold and dark blue paint scheme aligned with a design long promoted by former President Donald Trump.

Scope of the Change

The revised livery will be applied to:

Two modified Boeing 747-8 aircraft currently being converted to serve as presidential transports
A third 747-8i aircraft
Smaller executive transport aircraft used for senior government officials

These jets will replace the current fleet of ageing Boeing 747-200 aircraft that assume the Air Force One call sign when the president is onboard.

Design Evolution

The current light blue and white livery dates back to the Kennedy administration. In 2018, Trump directed a move away from that scheme toward a darker, more assertive colour palette. An internal Air Force review at the time concluded that darker exterior paints could increase lifecycle costs and potentially delay delivery, prompting a reversal in 2023 under Joe Biden.

The newly confirmed scheme blends white upper surfaces with darker tones below, incorporating red and gold accents. Renderings released by the Air Force match a model aircraft previously displayed in the Oval Office.

Programme Context and Costs

Boeing is responsible for modifying the 747-8 aircraft with secure communications, defensive systems, and hardened structures necessary for presidential operations.

Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally accepted a luxury 747 from Qatar in May for potential government use, though the aircraft requires extensive security retrofitting. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink indicated such modifications would cost under $400 million, without detailing specific allocations.

Strategic Implications

While primarily aesthetic, the livery change intersects with broader issues:

Programme delays in the VC-25B replacement effort
Cost control and modification complexity
Symbolism and executive branding of U.S. presidential transport

The updated colour scheme represents the most significant visual shift in Air Force One’s appearance in over six decades, pending final delivery of the modified aircraft.