Qatari Air Force One ready for summer delivery

“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,” the Air Force said in a statement reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The news comes just days after Air Force One was forced to make a U-turn over the Atlantic Ocean while en route to Davos, Switzerland, returning to Washington due to a “minor electrical issue.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time that the Qatari jet gift sounded “much better” after Trump’s travel plans to the World Economic Forum were delayed by a few hours.

The current Air Force One models are VC-25s, military versions of the Boeing 747-200B, specially suited for the president, including special electronic, communications, and security equipment and the ability to refuel in flight. The two current planes were first used by former President George H.W. Bush.

The plane expected to be ready for use this summer was formerly used by the Qatari government and is being remodeled by L3Harris Technologies for the president’s use, painted in red, white, and dark blue colors. It is a $400 million Boeing 747 jet that Qatar gifted to Trump.

SENATE DEMOCRATS QUESTION BONDI ON QATAR JET GIFT TO TRUMP

“I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’ But I thought it was a great gesture,” Trump said in May.

The Qatari plane offer came after the White House scuffled with Boeing, in both the Trump and Biden administrations, over the company’s contract to build two new Air Force One planes that Trump commissioned. Boeing, on a $3.9 million contract with the Air Force, was years behind schedule on the construction of the jets.