The Journey of a Gifted Jet: From Luxury to Presidential Duty

The United States has received a Boeing 747-8 from Qatar. This jet is currently parked at an airport in San Antonio. It is waiting for a major overhaul to become the next Air Force One. The Defense Department has assigned the Air Force to upgrade this jet. It will be used as the new plane for the President. The jet is worth a huge amount of money. The President has said that it would be foolish to turn down such a gift. He suggested that it could be converted quickly. However, experts warn that turning this luxury jet into a presidential aircraft will take years. This is because it needs to meet the current standards set for Air Force One. The term "Air Force One" refers to any plane carrying the president. However, it is more commonly used to describe special Boeing 747-200B planes. These planes are equipped with advanced communications and defense systems. They are designed to function as a mobile White House. This means that all the functions of the president can be executed in it, no matter what circumstances, including warfare. The current Air Force One planes have been in use since 1990. Their age is starting to show. This is one of the reasons why the President has been eager to put pressure on Boeing. He wants them to finish the new generation of planes. However, experts say it's not just about aesthetics. There are serious issues about parts availability and security requirements. The new generation of Air Force One planes will be a newer Boeing model, the 747-8. This is the same model as the gift plane from Qatar. Compared to the 747-200, the 747-8 emits less carbon, can travel further, and is the fastest commercial jet in the world. It's also wider and longer than the current model in use. The new generation will have upgrades to the electrical and communications systems, military and combat-ready electronics, more self-defense systems, and autonomous systems for baggage loading and entering and exiting the plane. The gifted 747-8 plane from Qatar is certainly luxurious. It has big leather seats, wood inlay, multiple lounges, a bedroom suite, and a private office. However, the specs say nothing about security or defense systems on board. The communications system that's listed is for basic entertainment. Experts say that installing these systems is not an easy task. It would require deconstructing the aircraft a fair amount. There could also possibly be listening devices or malware on the plane. This is because it's been sitting in a foreign country for more than a decade. This would make the conversion process even more complicated. The Air Force Secretary has said that the plane would need significant modifications. Both experts and members of Congress have expressed concern that the President might decide to roll back current security requirements for Air Force One. This is to get the plane ready faster. The President has repeatedly stressed that the plane from Qatar was free. However, several experts agree that it will likely end up costing a significant amount of money. This is to outfit it properly to current Air Force One standards. A U. S. official has said that the conversion would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars. This should concern taxpayers, as the current program to upgrade Air Force One was a fixed contract signed with Boeing.