US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in … More
President Trump could receive a VIP-configured Boeing 747-8 as a gift from the Qatari royal family. The aircraft would serve as Air Force One throughout the President’s term of office. Aircraft ownership would transfer to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation at the end of his term rather than remain a U.S. Air Force asset to serve future presidents, as other Air Force One aircraft do. As such, the Qatari luxury plane could become the President’s private aircraft after he leaves office, replacing his aging Boeing 757 Trump Force One. However, the President has denied he would use the aircraft, so it might just become a museum piece like Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One.
Whatever its fate, the $400 million gift has raised some ethical and technical concerns. While the debate on these is ongoing, experts agree that the Qatari 747-8 is unlikely to meet current and future Air Force One standards.
As Richard Aboulafia, a respected industry analyst and managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, told DefenseNews:
“It’s all based on an embarrassing misunderstanding of what Air Force One is meant to do. If it’s a gold-plated palace in the sky and nothing more, have at it. If it’s an actual tool [to be used in a]
worst-case contingency [like nuclear war], then this ain’t it.”
What Is Air Force One, Really?
Air Force One is the military handle given to the U.S. Air Force planes carrying the President of the United States. So, being labeled Air Force One is a low bar. If President Trump chose to fly on the Qatari 747 during his term, it would be Air Force One regardless of its capabilities.
However, the Presidential aircraft built for and operated by the U.S. Air Force currently serving as Air Force One are not ordinary 747s. They are VC-25, based on the 747 airframe but equipped with multiple additional features that ensure the President’s security and the continuity of the administration under the most dire circumstances, including in cases of nuclear war.
Trump Is Eager To Fly On A New Air Force One
The contract to build two new Air Force One VC-25B aircraft to the latest U.S. Air Force specifications was awarded to Boeing during President Trump’s first term under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract. Boeing has incurred over $2 billion in losses on the program and has yet to complete the aircraft. The impact of COVID-19 on production, supplier issues, and other Boeing complications have significantly delayed the new VC-25Bs. When Trump took office for his second term, the two new planes were not expected to be delivered until 2029. That has recently changed to as early as 2027.
President Trump has expressed his displeasure with Boeing’s delays on several occasions. In February, he visited the 12-year-old Qatari 747-8 parked at Palm Beach International Airport in what seemed to be another message to Boeing to hurry the program along. However, converting the second-hand Qatari royal aircraft to meet the full VC-25B specifications is likely a prolonged and costly effort. That would not satisfy Trump’s urgency to fly on a new Air Force One.
What Goes Into The VC-25 Air Force One
The U.S. Air Force’s two new presidential aircraft are built on a 747-8I (intercontinental 747-8 base) but equipped with advanced technologies that help the aircraft serve as a flying situation room, enabling the President to direct the U.S. military and the government in flight during a catastrophic event.
For example, Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, described the advanced communications systems of the VC-25 to Defense News as “one of the most exquisite comm suites on the planet,” adding, “It functions as a command and control center under some of the most trying conditions [imaginable]. Even just day-to-day, that thing is hyper connected.”
The aircraft also has multiple classified electronic and defense systems installed and redundant systems to ensure the safety and security of its passengers. The two existing Air Force One VC-25As in service can remain in flight indefinitely during a crisis through air-to-air refuelling capabilities, though that capability was not specified for the new VC-25Bs.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the current presidential transport’s other unique features include a self-contained baggage loader and front and aft air stairs. Onboard, the aircraft has an executive suite for the President, including a stateroom with a dressing room, lavatory and shower. It also holds the President’s office and a conference dining room for the President. The aircraft has separate accommodations for staff, Secret Service, security personnel and the media.
Two galleys onboard can prepare up to 100 meals per service. There are six passenger lavatories onboard, plus a rest area and mini-galley for the aircrew. Additionally, the aircraft has a room equipped to handle “minor medical emergencies” with adequate medical equipment and supplies.
The unclassified December 2022 U.S. Air Force specifications for the VC-25B call for “an electrical power upgrade, dual auxiliary power units that are usable in flight, a mission communication system, an executive interior, military avionics, a self-defense system, autonomous enplaning and deplaning, and autonomous baggage loading.”
Not Just An Ordinary 747 VIP Upgrade
Upgrading the Qatari royal family’s 747-8 to meet VC-25B standards would be costly and time-consuming.
“If [Trump] wants all the capabilities and features of Air Force One, this would be a step backwards,” Aboulafia told Defense News. “They’d have to start over again with what they’ve been working on with the other 747-8 [in the VC-25B program].”
Fully equipping the Qatari 747-8 to VC-25B standards is unlikely during the rapid conversion Texas-based L3Harris plans to perform on the second-hand aircraft. The company, which is a contractor to Boeing on communications systems for the VC-25 program, has said it would complete the conversion by the end of this year. However, at most, L3Harris would adjust the interior to meet the President’s needs and enhance communications services onboard. The aircraft might also get Trump’s preferred Air Force One red, white and blue livery, despite the heat exposure issue of the darker blue paint. However, no contractor could install the VC-25B’s unique defense systems and redundancies in that timeframe.
The Qatari 747-8 Would Still Need To Be President-Proof
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to address criticism of the possible Qatari gift, arguing, “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane.”
As the President plans to transfer the plane to his Presidential Library Foundation, the gift would not be to the Defense Department but to himself. Also, there has been no indication that the President would cancel the existing VC-25B program, so the Defense Department would not save anything through the transaction.
Another concern is that free sometimes also comes at a price. Experts point out that the Defense Department would first need to clear the Qatari plane for any security vulnerabilities, such as listening devices hidden onboard, before it could be converted and deployed into service for the President.
“It would present a major security concern,” Aboulafia said.
Why The Inadequacy Of The Vanity Air Force One Is Moot
Technically, the 12-year-old Qatari 747-8 would neither be a new Air Force One (except in the sense that it has not previously operated under that handle) nor a fully-equipped Air Force One. However, it would be called Air Force One as soon as Trump steps onboard and Trump could routinely fly on his vanity Air Force One while he is in office.
The President would still have two fully capable Air Force One aircraft at his disposal, ready to go into service when needed. The VC-25A planes could be deployed at a moment’s notice from Andrews Air Force Base when the President requires proper defense.
The main concern for national security would be to ensure that the VC-25B program go ahead as planned so that the updated Air Force Ones can serve the next President of the United States.
