Boeing has reportedly sought additional time from the US Air Force (USAF) to deliver two presidential aircraft for use as Air Force One.

The aerospace company cited the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties with a subcontractor for the possible delay, reported Reuters.

Additionally, Boeing informed the USAF that the associated cost of the aircraft may also increase.

In 2018, USAF awarded the contract to Boeing for the design, modification, test, certification and delivery of two presidential aircraft by 2024. The price for the two completed mission-ready jets was set at $3.9bn.

According to the Reuters report, the USAF Acquisition acting assistant secretary Darlene Costello told an Armed Services Committee panel of the House of Representatives that Boeing requested about an additional one year time to deliver the aircraft.

The company also forwarded a letter to the airforce regarding price adjustments.

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However, a Boeing spokesperson was quoted by the news agency as saying: “We continue to make steady progress on these programmes and are working closely with the USAF.”

The aerospace company will be delivering two Boeing 747-8 aircraft equipped with advanced communications and a self-defence system among other advanced functionalities. It will be designed to operate as a mobile command centre in case of emergency situations.

In January this year, Boeing secured a $1.7bn contract to deliver 12 additional KC-46A tanker aircraft to the USAF.

The KC-46A Pegasus is a wide-body, multirole tanker capable of refuelling all US, allied and coalition military aircraft.