The U.S. Air Force said it expects to deliver a refurbished Boeing 747-8 donated by the government of Qatar for presidential transport no later than summer 2026, potentially allowing President Donald Trump to begin flying aboard the aircraft later this year.
The Air Force said it is expediting work on the aircraft, which is being modified to meet mission requirements for transporting the president, while two new Air Force One aircraft ordered from Boeing remain delayed.
“The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026,” an Air Force spokesperson told The Guardian.
The aircraft, a 13-year-old 747-8, is undergoing modifications that include communications, defensive systems and other security-related upgrades, though officials have not said whether it will receive the full suite of equipment typically installed on presidential aircraft. One person familiar with the program told The New York Times that while cosmetic and interior work could be completed by summer, some security measures may not be in place by that time.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., told The New York Times that she was “deeply troubled by how quickly the Air Force is pressing this aircraft into service,” adding, “Air Force One should be the most secure aircraft in the world, and cutting any corners could threaten our national security secrets, the president and our entire country.”
The anticipated delivery comes as the current presidential aircraft fleet, both more than 35 years old, has experienced maintenance-related disruptions. Earlier this week, an aircraft operating as Air Force One returned to Washington during a flight to Switzerland after what the White House described as a minor electrical issue, prompting the president to continue the trip on a smaller Air Force aircraft.
