Trump says Qatar Air Force One to be enhanced

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President Donald Trump said Sunday that the Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar to serve as a temporary Air Force One will soon undergo additional upgrades, adding the aircraft will be “maxed out” with enhanced capabilities.

Speaking to reporters after returning to Joint Base Andrews from the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump was asked why he was flying on the Qatari aircraft despite reports that it lacks the same antimissile defenses as the traditional Air Force One fleet.

“Well, it has — it has a lot, and you know it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out,” Trump said. “They’re going to be sending it, and they’ll have it be maxed out. It’ll take about a month.”

Trump did not specify what upgrades the aircraft would receive, though his remarks appeared to acknowledge the retrofitted jet does not yet match the full defensive capabilities of the two specially built VC-25 aircraft that have served as Air Force One for decades.

The roughly 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, valued at about $400 million, was donated by Qatar and is serving as what the administration has described as a “bridge” aircraft while Boeing completes two long-delayed next-generation presidential jets.

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