U.S. Air Force: Fmr Qatari jet ready to serve as Air Force One
OAN Staff Jenna Lee
4:04 PM – Friday, May 8, 2026
The U.S. Air Force announced it has completed modifications and testing on a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, preparing the aircraft to temporarily serve as Air Force One for President Donald Trump.
On Friday, the Air Force revealed that the aircraft will now be moving on to the painting stage, adding that it will be red, white and blue to prepare it for use during the celebration of America’s 250th birthday on July 4th.
In 2025, the White House received the luxury jet from Qatar and requested the Air Force to quickly upgrade the plane to presidential standards.
“The aircraft is on schedule to deliver this summer,” said an Air Force spokesperson.
The Air Force added that the aircraft has undergone modification and flight testing.
If the deadline is met, Trump would have a new presidential jet in time for the national celebrations.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the jet last year, despite security and cyber intelligence concerns and questions regarding the ethics and legality of accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign nation.
The president has said that he wouldn’t fly in the aircraft during the conclusion of his term, but would like the plane to be donated to a future presidential library, similar to President Ronald Reagan’s Boeing 707.
The two aircraft currently serving as Air Force One have been in operation for roughly 40 years, and President Trump has pushed to replace them. However, Boeing’s program to convert 747-8 aircraft into the next generation of presidential jets is currently running four years behind schedule.
As the new planes won’t be finished until near the end of his term, Trump impatiently described the situation as “a total mess,” and complained that the planes flown by some of the Arab leaders are nicer than Air Force One.
The $400 million Qatari plane, with luxurious accommodations, has been described as a “palace in the sky.”
The former Qatari jet will be a “bridge” until Boeing delivers a pair of new planes, expected in 2028, according to Air Force officials.
The capabilities added to the former Qatari jet were not made clear, and the Air Force did not share the cost of the modifications, but lawmakers projected last year that they could be close to $1 billion.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
Advertising by Adpathway
