Military officials are pushing to complete work on a luxury aircraft donated by Qatar’s royal family in time for Fourth of July festivities, according to a government source and someone close to the project.
The White House received the Boeing 747 from Qatar earlier this year and directed the Air Force to quickly bring the plane up to presidential flight standards. L3Harris has been chosen to handle the extensive modifications needed for the aircraft.
Should the company meet its target date, President Donald Trump would have access to a new presidential aircraft for the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. Sources indicate there have been discussions about potentially finishing the work by June 14th to coincide with Trump’s birthday, rather than waiting until the July deadline.
The acceptance of this gift has sparked controversy among Democratic lawmakers and government ethics watchdogs, who argue it creates potential conflicts of interest that might sway presidential policy decisions. Trump has rejected these concerns about taking the 13-year-old aircraft valued at $400 million, calling it “stupid” to refuse such an offer. The current presidential fleet consists of two specially modified 747-200B planes, though any Air Force aircraft carrying the president receives the Air Force One designation.
Converting the luxury jet provided by Qatar’s monarchy involves extensive security enhancements, upgraded communication systems to prevent electronic surveillance, and defensive capabilities against missile attacks, according to aviation specialists.
A military spokesperson confirmed, “The aircraft is on schedule to deliver this summer.” Officials announced Friday that modification work and test flights have been completed, with painting currently underway.
OFFICIAL REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FACES SETBACKS
Meanwhile, Boeing’s official Air Force One replacement initiative – converting two 747-8 aircraft into modern presidential jets – continues to face significant delays, running four years past the original timeline. Current projections show delivery won’t occur until summer 2028, potentially leaving Trump without his new aircraft before his presidency concludes in January 2029.
Boeing remains bound by a fixed-price agreement valued at $3.9 billion from 2018, though actual expenses have grown beyond $5 billion, forcing the company to absorb $2.4 billion in project losses. To address ongoing challenges, Boeing brought in Steve Sullivan in 2025, a former Northrop Grumman leader with experience on the B-21 bomber project.
Military officials recently revealed updated paint colors featuring red, white, dark blue and gold for the executive aircraft fleet – bringing back a design scheme Trump had long advocated for. A similar color scheme had been abandoned in 2022.
This new appearance will be used on the VC-25B – the military’s term for the Boeing 747-8 – replacing the white and blue design that has been standard since President Kennedy’s administration. Four Boeing 757-200 aircraft used by the vice president, cabinet officials and other senior leaders will also receive the updated paint scheme.
Last December, the Air Force acquired two former Lufthansa 747-8i planes for $400 million – designating one for crew training and maintenance practice, while the other will provide replacement parts as officials prepare to eventually phase out the existing fleet that entered service in 1990.
