Of Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar could begin flying in the Northern Hemisphere as the United States presidential plane, Air Force One, as early as this summer. This was reported by the specialized medium The Aviationist.
According to the publication, the aircraft is considered a temporary solution while the program for the new presidential aircraft, the VC-25B, progresses to replace the current VC-25A. The US Air Force officially accepted the former Qatari aircraft in May 2025, with modifications beginning in September of the same year. When operations begin this summer, the entire conversion cycle will have taken less than a year — significantly shorter than the historical norm for presidential aircraft, which typically takes several years.
In practice, the conversion process is treated as a major rebuilding of the aircraft. This includes the installation of self-defense systems, secure communications, specialized command-and-control equipment, as well as other critical components required for presidential missions.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, currently in his second term, has repeatedly publicly criticized the state of the current fleet. The two heavily modified Boeing 747-200B aircraft, operating as VC-25A, have been in service since 1990 and their old age makes maintenance increasingly complex.
At the same time, Boeing has not yet succeeded in delivering the definitive successor. The VC-25B, which was originally scheduled to enter service in 2024, is now only expected from 2028. These delays are cited as one of the deciding factors in the acceptance of the Qatari plane — a move considered unprecedented in U.S. presidential aviation.
However, the decision has not been without controversy. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, especially after unconfirmed reports that the plane could be transferred to him after the end of Trump’s term. Security issues are also central to the debate, with particular attention to espionage risks associated with the use of an originally foreign platform.
According to unofficial assessments, the new interim VC-25 will mainly be used for domestic flights, while the current VC-25A aircraft will remain responsible for international missions.
Despite extensive public discussion, the technical details of the conversion remain limited. The United States Air Force declines to release information about specific adjustments or any relaxation of requirements applied to accelerate the aircraft’s entry into service.
In 2025, US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Maink stated that the total cost of modifying the Qatari 747-8 would remain below $400 million — a figure significantly lower than previous estimates, which were close to $1 billion. According to him, the funding will come from unused funds from the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
Source and images: The Aviationist | United States Air Force. This content was created using AI and reviewed by editors.
