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.
More than 100 B-21s will be needed if the nation is to avoid creating a high demand/low capacity capability, panelists said on a Hudson Institute webinar. The B-21's flexibility, stealth, range and payload will be in high demand for a wide range of missions, both traditional and new.