President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar, was not retrofitted with the same defensive systems as the older models it has replaced, potentially leaving it vulnerable to attack, according to a report.
The $400 million luxury jet presented to Trump by Doha last year had to be upgraded by the U.S. Air Force at the cost of an estimated $1 billion before it could be pressed into service as a stand-in or “bridge aircraft” for use until a new fleet ordered from Boeing finally arrives in 2028.
However, a New York Times report cites industry experts who warn that the Qatari plane lacks the advanced antimissile capabilities that kept the older models secure, leaving it exposed to risk outside of American airspace.
Trump first rode the plane to North Dakota last week as he arrived to open its new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and then again this week to fly to Turkey for a two-day Nato summit, only to then return home in the old Air Force One.
The president downplayed the switch, saying it had been made “for old time’s sake,” but officials told the Times it had come at the urging of the Secret Service amid renewed threats against Trump’s life from Iran as the two nations resumed hostilities over the Strait of Hormuz.
The newspaper cites two former Air Force officials who expressed alarm at Trump using the plane to visit Ankara, given its proximity to Iran, and said the speed with which the refurbishment work had been undertaken would not have allowed enough time to make all of the security modifications necessary to keep the president, his entourage and the press corps safe when on board.
“Time didn’t permit all the normal Air Force One modifications, so some mix of security, communications and support is missing,” said Frank Kendall, a former Air Force secretary.
“With the Iran situation, this could be of concern. Frankly, I’m surprised to see this plane used outside the U.S.”
Former Air Force assistant secretary Andrew P Hunter also said that a year was not enough time to properly retrofit a 747 for such a unique purpose.
Other ex-Pentagon officials warned that defensive systems used to shield Air Force One from heat-seeking missiles were not visible in photographs of the Qatari plane, whereas they were on older models, positioned beneath their wings and tail.
Asked about the plane’s security, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told The Independent: “The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff.
“As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal – including distraction and misdirection – to address those threats.”
He also pointed to a recent Air Force statement on the renovation work that read: “The aircraft is safe, secure and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary to meet the requirements of the presidential mission.
“Those requirements were carefully crafted to prioritize mission over aesthetics, leaving much of the previous head of state interior layout minimally changed.
“No risk was taken in security, safety or mission communications, but the collective team made trades on some of the less commonly used mission sets that Boeing must deliver to support the next 40 years.”
Not convinced by the official rhetoric, a dozen lawmakers on Capitol Hill wrote to the White House Tuesday demanding to know whether the overhauled plane had received the necessary security upgrades.
Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy alleged in the letter that Trump’s public statements boasting of the aircraft’s unprecedented luxury “make it clear” that the decision-making process “prioritized Trump’s personal comfort and tastes over U.S. national security.”
