Perhaps signaling a project push, Boeing has brought in ex-Northrop Grumman senior executive Steve Sullivan to take over its Air Force One (VC-25B) program. He replaces Gregg Coffey in the role, who has moved on to another unspecified position with Boeing. Among multiple news outlets, Reuters reported the swap at the top “according to two people briefed on the matter,” adding that Boeing had not responded to requests for comment.
Boeing VP of its bombers, mobility and surveillance business unit Jamie Burgess described Sullivan in an email to Boeing employees yesterday (June 25) as a “strategic leader with extensive experience in program management” with “a proven track record of steering complex multi-billion dollar military aircraft programs.” Sullivan’s resume includes guiding the B-21 bomber and X-47B experimental combat drone programs.
President Trump, who brokered the previous contract to provide two aircraft for the VC-25B program, has been said to be intent on flying on the new Air Force One aircraft before his current term expires in January 2029. According to a report in online military news outlet Breaking Defense, interim CEO of Boeing’s defense unit Steve Parker has reported that recent changes to the VC-25B requirements could enable the two Boeing 747 specialty variants to enter service “years earlier” than the most recent estimate. But Parker stopped short of confirming a 2027 estimate cited by some Air Force officials last month.
I worked under Mr. Sullivan in the past. He is a stickler for doing what needs to be done and not what people want done. he is requirements driven schedule driven and cost conscious. He should be able to get this program delivered . reading between the lines …(of this and other posts over the years) this program may have been suffering from requirements creep. which can happen under program managers who wish to please instead of delivering on contract. Unfortunately this is more common than one likes. I saw it happen early in my career and did my best to fight it in progress where I was in a position to effect decisions. Good Luck to Mr. Sullivan , he di great work for NGC I believe he can fix this program .
Boeing has lost nearly $2 billion on the VC-25B fixed-price deal signed during Trump’s first term, but they’ve kept getting cost-plus contracts like the MQ-25, KC-46 support, T-7A trainer, and other space and hypersonic projects, under both Trump and Biden. That helps ease the hit.
As Richard Aboulafia put it in The Air Current (May 2022): “Boeing loses big up front, then quietly makes it back through cost-plus work elsewhere.” That still seems to hold water.
Now they’ve brought in Steve Sullivan from NG, who’s known for having “a proven track record of steering complex multi-billion-dollar military aircraft programs.” So if anyone can get the VC-25Bs finished, it might be him.
Good for Boeing.