Boeing executive Dennis Muilenberg on Wednesday met with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday and committed to keep costs for Air Force One under $4 billion, though current estimates already have the total cost for the program well below that amount. Trump earlier this month tweeted that the cost of the Air Force One program was “out of control,” citing the $4 billion figure. A Government Accountability Office report from March said the program’s total cost would be about $3.2 billion for two aircraft, planned for delivery in 2024. Muilenberg said Boeing is “going to get it done” for less than $4 billion, according to Bloomberg. Lockheed Martin executive Marillyn Hewson also met with Trump, after he tweeted criticism about the F-35’s program costs. A Lockheed spokesman declined to comment on the visit, Bloomberg reported.
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
