US EditionConverting luxury jet gifted to Trump into Air Force One could cost hundreds of millions
- The U.S. Air Force is preparing to convert a luxury Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar into a replacement Air Force One for President Trump as of May 2025.
- The plan follows repeated delays and cost overruns in the existing Air Force One program, originally scheduled for 2024 delivery but now pushed to 2027 or later.
- The gifted 747-8, valued around $400 million and larger than current Air Force One planes, requires extensive retrofitting with secure communications, defensive systems, and mid-air refueling capability.
- Military aviation experts warn that upgrading the plane to Air Force One standards could cost hundreds of millions, take up to two years, and pose serious security and counterintelligence risks, including potential espionage concerns.
- The conversion's outcome remains uncertain as legal, security, and operational challenges persist, and Trump has stated he would use the aircraft only temporarily before returning it to his presidential library.
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Trump's Qatari 747 may need fighter escorts to serve as Air Force One
A Boeing 747 jet offered to President Donald Trump by Qatar as a temporary flying White House might need fighter jet escorts and could be restricted to flying inside the U.S., aviation experts and industry sources said.
·Salt Lake City, United States
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Trump's Qatari plane may not be able to leave US airspace without major upgrades
Retrofitting the luxury plane offered by Qatar's royal family would require security upgrades, communications improvements to prevent spies from listening in and the ability to fend off incoming missiles, experts said.
·India
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