President Trump recently flew from a NATO summit in Turkey to the United Kingdom on an older Boeing 747 Air Force One before switching to a Qatari Boeing jet for the transatlantic flight. This change in travel plans has raised concerns about the security of the new Air Force One, which was gifted and refurbished by Qatar.

The White House attributed the change to an abundance of caution by the Secret Service. Trump stated he took the older plane so the newer one could be showcased at a U.K. air base but avoided addressing whether the decision was due to assassination fears.

The altered transportation plan has highlighted worries among lawmakers and officials about whether the Qatari-gifted jet has been sufficiently upgraded with defensive measures and other necessary capabilities to protect the president.

Military aviation consultant Richard Aboulafia noted that while many systems are classified, the Qatari plane appears not to meet the typical standards for Air Force One. He emphasized the need for self-defensive capabilities, electronic countermeasures, chaff and flare dispensers, and encrypted communications to protect against imminent threats.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink testified in June that the $1 billion retrofit cost estimates for the Qatari plane are too high. Additionally, Gertler, referring to the next-generation VC-25B jets still under construction, said the limited time and budget spent on the Qatari "bridge jet" likely mean it lacks comparable equipment.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the new Air Force One, calling it a "state-of-the-art aircraft" fitted with "high-level security protocols" to ensure the safety of the president and his staff.

Sources