Trump turns Ex-Qatari jet into Air Force One amid Boeing delays
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Amid mounting frustrations over Boeing’s delayed delivery of new presidential jets, Donald Trump turns to defense contractor L3Harris to transform a former Qatari Boeing 747 into an interim Air Force One by 2025.
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US President Donald Trump walks with Air Force Col. Angela Ochoa, Commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, from Marine One to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP)
US President Donald Trump is moving ahead with plans to deploy an interim Air Force One, as Boeing’s $3.9 billion project to deliver two new presidential aircraft remains plagued by delays and cost overruns. Trump, frustrated by the lack of progress, has tasked defense contractor L3Harris with converting a former Qatari Boeing 747 into a temporary presidential jet by the end of 2025, The Wall Street Journal wrote, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Boeing was originally expected to deliver the replacement aircraft during Trump’s first term. However, the planes are now projected to be completed no earlier than 2035, owing to a series of setbacks involving suppliers, engineering challenges, and complex structural work, particularly around wiring systems and door modifications.
The delays have left Trump increasingly dissatisfied. On April 18, Boeing’s CEO met with him in the Oval Office for an update. According to sources, discussions have also taken place within the Trump White House about possibly suing Boeing or even canceling the contract altogether, a measure reportedly considered as far back as his first term.
L3Harris commissioned to retrofit Qatari aircraft
With no near-term solution from Boeing, the US government has contracted L3Harris, a Florida-based defense firm, to retrofit a Boeing 747 previously operated by the Qatari government. The aircraft will be upgraded with secure communications and specialized systems to meet presidential standards. If successful, the interim jet would be available for presidential use by fall 2025.
The company, formed through the 2019 merger of L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation, is growing rapidly and already collaborates with Boeing on communications systems for the future Air Force One jets. Though significantly smaller than Boeing in scale, L3Harris is positioning itself as a viable alternative to the defense industry’s largest contractors.
The modified Qatari jet is intended to complement the aging pair of VC-25A aircraft currently serving as Air Force One when the president is onboard. These modified Boeing 747s date back to the George H. W. Bush era and require frequent maintenance, occasionally grounding one for extended periods and limiting overseas deployment options.
The Air Force has long expressed interest in acquiring a third aircraft to serve as a backup. With Boeing’s delivery date slipping by the decade, Trump’s interim solution may become a long-term necessity for executive air travel.
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