The Kennedy-era paint colors on the exterior of aircraft in the U.S. Air Force presidential and VIP fleet are being replaced with a new design in President Trump's preferred palette. The new colors will appear on planes including the donated Qatari jet and two planes Boeing is converting to serve as Air Force One, sources told CBS News.
Some of the blue and white aircraft are already being repainted in dark navy blue, deep red and gold as they come in for scheduled due repairs and maintenance, the officials said.
The classic robin's egg blue color scheme of the current fleet dates back to the Kennedy administration.
The new red, dark blue and white paint job is being required for Air Force One jets as well as others in the executive fleet, including the new 747-8i from Qatar and C-32 aircraft, an Air Force spokesperson said.
Mr. Trump in his first term rolled out a model airplane with the paint colors he wanted for Air Force One, but President Joe Biden canceled that paint design for the VC-25Bs, the Defense Department's version of the Boeing 747 airliner.
The new paint requirement includes the smaller C-32 aircraft, which carry high-priority personnel such as the first lady or top cabinet officials, and serve as Air Force Two when the vice president is aboard.
Contractor L3 Harris has been upgrading the Air Force Two planes at its plant in Greenville, Texas.
Boeing continues to work on a new generation of Air Force One planes in a deal signed in 2018. Meanwhile, the plane donated by Qatar that the Air Force is refurbishing is expected to be ready for use as Air Force One no later than this summer.
The first C-32 has been painted and is expected to be delivered to the Air Force in the next few months.
The War Zone, a defense news and analysis website, reported on images of the C-32 painted in the new color scheme.
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