Air Force to Unveil New Air Force One Colors, Ditching Classic Kennedy-Era Scheme

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The U.S. Air Force is revamping the color scheme for its executive fleet, including the next-generation Air Force One planes. The new color scheme will feature red, white, dark blue, and gold, replacing the decades-long livery of white and two-tone blue that dates back to John F. Kennedy's presidency.

Why it matters

The change in Air Force One's iconic color scheme is a significant symbolic shift, as the presidential aircraft's design has remained largely unchanged for over 60 years. The new colors reflect the current administration's desire to put its own stamp on the presidential fleet.

The details

The new colors will be used on the luxury Boeing 747 that Qatar donated to the military in 2025, which President Donald Trump has ordered to be reconfigured for use as Air Force One. The colors will also be applied to two new Boeing 747-8s being modified by the aircraft maker, as well as four other planes already in the fleet, which are smaller C-32 aircraft described as a "military version of the Boeing 747".

• In 2018, during his first term, President Trump expressed his vision for changing the presidential fleet's colors, but the plan was ultimately scrapped due to technical and financial concerns.
• In 2023, the Air Force cited a thermal study that concluded the darker blue in the design would require additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing due to the "added heat in certain environments".
• The first of the four aircraft has already been painted and is expected to be delivered to the Air Force "in the next few months".

What’s next

The first of the four aircraft has already been painted and is expected to be delivered to the Air Force "in the next few months".