The Qatari-donated Boeing 747 now serving as Air Force One is missing several key defensive and operational features found on the two older presidential jets it flies alongside, including midair refueling capability and hardening against a nuclear blast, according to details from Air Force officials and current and former government officials familiar with the program.
The comparison underscores the interim nature of the Qatari aircraft as a presidential platform and the limitations of its rapid retrofit, even as President Trump has said he wants the jet to be “maxed out.” Boeing’s next-generation replacements remain years away amid mounting losses on the program.
Fall upgrade timeline draws skepticism from officials familiar with program
The aircraft, designated the VC-25B Bridge, received an initial round of modifications costing $400 million, according to Air Force officials, to meet Trump’s request that it be ready to fly by July 4. The plane will undergo additional modifications this fall, the White House has said, with upgrades taking “about a month.” The Pentagon said the project cost is classified.
Current and former government officials familiar with Boeing’s Air Force One replacement program expressed skepticism that a month would allow for adding substantial safety or defensive features.
“I’m sure there’s some things that can be done in that kind of time frame. Maxed out is a pretty broad categorization, which I don’t think is accurate,” said Frank Kendall, former Air Force secretary during the Biden administration.
A lack of defensive capabilities on the Qatari aircraft previously led Trump to fly on an older presidential jet during a trip from Turkey. The Qatari jet has flown on a handful of trips since entering service on July 1 with an older Air Force One available as a backup, a common practice for any plane carrying the president.
The two older jets, known as VC-25As, entered service during the George H.W. Bush administration. They are hardened to withstand the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion, while the Qatari aircraft is not believed to have its fuselage and electronics shielded against high levels of radiation, according to the Journal. The VC-25As can refuel in flight; the Qatari jet cannot. The Air Force years ago dropped aerial refueling as a requirement for next-generation Air Force One aircraft.
The older jets also have at least two sets of self-deploying air stairs and their own baggage-handling system, eliminating reliance on ground equipment. The Qatari plane has one set of internal air stairs added by contractor L3Harris Technologies during modifications and requires multiple mobile air stairs on the pavement.
The VC-25A jets have larger doors allowing the planes to carry the casket of a deceased president in the passenger cabin. The Qatari plane lacks this feature, though next-generation Air Force One planes are expected to have the larger door frames.
The interior differs substantially. The VC-25A was designed as a flying White House with conference rooms, dedicated cabins for staff and the press, a medical cabin, and five chillers below the passenger cabin capable of carrying large quantities of food for long trips. The Qatari aircraft was built for royalty with oversize lie-flat leather seats; the Air Force left much of the luxury interior in place to save time and money, according to the Journal. There is no dedicated press cabin, reporters are separated from staff by a heavy curtain, and the Air Force has not disclosed the medical facilities aboard.
The largest similarity between the two aircraft is the communications system, according to Air Force officials. Both planes carry top-secret communications equipment allowing the president to carry out responsibilities in flight, and the Qatari aircraft also has Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet network, Trump has said.
Trump has said he wants the Qatari jet to be “maxed out” with modifications. That could include midair refueling, nuclear-blast hardening and laser systems to destroy missiles, but such additions may take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Qatari jet is painted red, white and navy blue — colors chosen by Trump — with a large, wavy American flag on its vertical stabilizer. The older jets carry the rectangular flag and the white-and-light-blue paint scheme designed by Raymond Loewy and selected by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s.
When not in flight, the Qatari aircraft is parked inside a custom $300 million hangar at Joint Base Andrews near Washington built for the two next-generation Air Force Ones.
Those newer planes, also designated VC-25B, remain under development. Boeing said it would deliver the first of two jets in 2028. Boeing was awarded a nearly $4 billion contract in 2018 to build the aircraft based on its 747-8 platform. In July, Boeing reported a $280 million charge, bringing total losses on the program to more than $3 billion. The contract’s structure requires Boeing to cover all cost overruns.
The next-generation jets will carry the same red, white and navy blue paint scheme as the Qatari aircraft but will have a more utilitarian interior. The planes will feature electrical-power upgrades, dual auxiliary power units, defensive systems, multiple self-deploying air stairs and an autonomous baggage-loading system, according to the Pentagon.
It is unclear how long the Qatari jet will remain in service as Air Force One after Trump leaves office.