Donald Trump wants to cancel an alleged $4 billion federal government contract with Boeing to build two new Air Force One presidential planes despite no contract having been awarded for these planes, which are scheduled to first fly in 2024 when he's no longer president.

Trump's inexplicable behavior in giving prominence to an issue that was a non-issue before he decided to meddle in it. His comments are being seen by some as a publicity stunt, and by others as another example of Trump's penchant for baseless and erroneous comments.

Like Us on Facebook

"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" the Trump tweeted.

"Well, the plane is totally out of control," Trump later told the media.

"It's going to be over $4 billion for the Air Force One program. And I think it's ridiculous. I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money."

Analysts say they don't know how Trump arrived at this erroneous cost. The federal government publicly reported the budgeted costs for the Air Force One replacement program at $2.87 billion for the fiscal years 2015 through 2021.

On the other hand, Boeing issued a statement saying it's under contract for $170 million to determine the capabilities of the Air Force One. This preliminary process is expected to determine the final cost of Air Force One.

Both the U.S. Air Force and Boeing have refused to say how much the new Air Force Ones will cost but the price tag of a Boeing 747-8 passenger airliner comes to some $370 million. Adding all the electronic, communications, computer and defensive systems to the plane should see costs jump to over $500 million per aircraft.

One analyst said the main factor that boosts the price tag of an Air Force One is the costly modifications and equipment that must be installed on these unique aircraft. The Boeing 747-8 has been selected as the aircraft for the new Air Force One.

The two existing Boeing 747-200B aircraft that currently serve as Air Force One will reach the end of their 30-year useful service lives in 2017. In Air Force service as Air Force One, the two Boeing 747-200Bs received the military designation, Boeing VC-25.

The two Boeing VC-25s that now serve as Air Force One have the tail numbers 28000 and 29000, and the call signs SAM 28000 and SAM 29000.

A VC-25 is equipped with both secure and unsecure phone and computer communications systems, enabling the president to perform duties while airborne, in the event of a nuclear attack on the United States. It also has defensive systems such as flares and radar jammers.

The presidential air fleet is operated by the Air Force 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Field, Maryland. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio manages the presidential aircraft replacement program.

SAM 28000 and SAM 29000 are being replaced because their airworthiness is becoming suspect and the cost of maintaining them is becoming uneconomical.

Kevin Buckley, program executive officer of mobility programs headquartered at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson, noted "it's becoming way too expensive and way too difficult" to keep both aircraft flying.

Buckley is responsible for replacing both planes. Although the Air Force selected the faster, larger and more fuel efficient Boeing 747-8 to become the new Air Force One in January 2015, the new jet might see first flight in 2024 after spending years taking-on special modifications.

Tagsdonald trump, Air Force One, Boeing, U.S. Air Force, Boeing 747-8, Boeing 747-200B, Boeing VC-25