Trump Inspects Upgraded Qatari-Gifted Jet Ahead Of Air Force One Service
President Donald Trump on June 19 inspected an upgraded Boeing 747 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as the aircraft moved closer to entering service as part of the Air Force One fleet.
The aircraft, gifted by Qatar, has undergone extensive modifications by L3Harris Technologies. The jet has completed flight testing and now features a red, white, dark blue and gold livery selected by Trump.
The addition provides a more modern aircraft for presidential travel, accommodating the president, senior aides, security personnel and members of the media. While officials have not disclosed the cost of the upgrade programme, the rapid pace of the modifications has prompted concerns among some experts about whether the aircraft can match the security standards of the current Air Force One fleet.
Security Upgrades And Conversion Work
The U.S. Air Force accelerated the project by omitting some planned modifications intended for the next-generation presidential aircraft. Nevertheless, officials maintain that the interim aircraft meets presidential security and operational requirements.
Experts noted that converting the luxury jet required extensive work, including communications enhancements designed to prevent eavesdropping, upgraded security systems and missile-defence capabilities. Democratic senators have argued that the conversion could ultimately cost more than $1 billion and have questioned potential security risks associated with the project.
Trump rejected criticism surrounding the acceptance of the aircraft, arguing that declining the offer would have been unwise.
Bridge Aircraft Until New Presidential Jets Arrive
The modified 747 is intended to serve as a temporary solution while Boeing completes work on two purpose-built 747-8 presidential aircraft.
The programme stems from a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018. However, the project has fallen four years behind schedule, with delivery now expected in mid-2028. The delay raises the possibility that Trump could finish his current term in January 2029 before receiving the new aircraft.
Meanwhile, programme costs have increased significantly. Boeing has reported more than $2.4 billion in charges related to the project, pushing total programme costs beyond $5 billion.
New Livery Marks Departure From Kennedy-Era Design
The upgraded aircraft introduces a new visual identity for presidential transport. The design moves away from the white and two-tone blue colour scheme that has been associated with Air Force One since the administration of John F. Kennedy.
The Air Force has revived elements of a red, white and blue concept previously supported by Trump. An earlier version of the design was abandoned in 2022 after concerns that darker colours could contribute to overheating.
The same red, white, dark blue and gold livery will also appear on the VC-25B, the military designation for the Boeing 747-8 presidential aircraft. In addition, the scheme will be applied to four modified Boeing 757-200 aircraft used to transport the vice president, cabinet officials and other senior government figures.
The aircraft’s introduction represents a significant interim step in modernising the presidential air transport fleet while the long-delayed VC-25B programme continues toward completion.
With inputs from Reuters