Qatar‑Donated Air Force One Jet Undergoes Major Upgrades

By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 19 (Reuters) — President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the Qatar‑gifted aircraft serving as a temporary Air Force One will undergo extensive upgrades, addressing concerns over its security systems.

Trump began using the large jet on July 1, following its acceptance as a donation last year, when the refurbishment of the Boeing 747 for presidential transport was accelerated.

On July 8, Trump unexpectedly diverted the aircraft from a flight originating in Turkey bound for the United Kingdom, citing escalating tensions with Iran; he later returned to Washington aboard the same plane.

During his return from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump was questioned about whether the renovated aircraft possesses missile‑defense capabilities.

“The aircraft has considerable capability,” Trump stated. “As I understand it, within the next month the jets will be sent for a comprehensive upgrade, which is expected to take about a month to complete.”

The Air Force has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The newly painted aircraft, featuring red, white, dark blue and gold livery selected by the President, was refurbished by L3Harris Technologies.

It is intended to serve as an interim solution while Boeing continues to deliver two newly built 747‑8s under a $3.9 billion fixed‑price contract signed in 2018; the program is four years behind schedule and over budget, with deliveries now projected for mid‑2028.

Because the Qatar‑funded upgrades were completed rapidly, some analysts voiced concerns that the aircraft may lack the security standards of its predecessor, the baby‑blue Air Force One, and questioned the cost and propriety of accepting the gift.

The New York Times reported that its journalists covering the aircraft’s security features were subpoenaed this month; the newspaper is seeking a court order to prevent enforcement of those subpoenas before a Manhattan federal grand jury.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Sergio Non and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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