The Boeing 747-8 now serving as the new Air Force One, when it was owned by the Qatari royal family. [Credit: Shutterstock/Oleksandr Naumenko]
Key Takeaways:
A Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar to President Trump is expected to enter service as an interim Air Force One this summer, possibly for the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.
The aircraft is undergoing extensive modifications, including structural checks, installation of top-secret communications, cyber defense, and anti-missile systems, and a sweep for listening devices.
This interim solution addresses President Trump's frustration with significant delays and cost overruns affecting Boeing's permanent VC-25B replacement project.
It is currently unclear if the modified Qatari jet will possess all the advanced functionality of the current Air Force One due to the complexity and time required for exact replication of all systems.
Citing U.S. Air Force officials, the newspaper reported Wednesday that the aircraft could be part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations in July. An exact delivery date has not been announced.
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Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.
