The U.S. Air Force is currently in the process of making modifications to a high-end Boeing 747 aircraft, previously owned by Qatar. This aircraft worthy of $400 million was presented as a gift, and speculations are rife that it might be purposed for presidential transportation, as reported by Air and Space Forces Magazine.
This event took place four months after Qatar, the location of the biggest American military base in the Middle East, experienced Israeli strikes aimed at high-ranking individuals within Hamas. This incident has brought the U.S.’s connections in the Gulf to the forefront.
The luxury Boeing 747 was officially received by the U.S. from Qatar in May, following a highly publicized trip to the Middle Eastern country by President Donald Trump. This was Trump’s first foreign trip after his re-election and encompassed visits to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well.
The repurposing of this aircraft as a potential Air Force One has initiated discussions regarding morality, expenditure, and safety, especially after Boeing’s delay in delivering two novel presidential aircraft. The manner in which the Department of Defense plans to retrofit the former Qatari aircraft, which is thirteen years old, and make it airworthy ahead of the officially announced next-generation Air Force One, the VC-25B program, remains ambiguous.
Findings have also revealed that the contract specifics have not been released publicly. Notably, officials have referred to the plane as ‘executive airlift’, not ‘presidential transport’, leading to conjecture that the standard prerequisites may vary, possibly indicating a reduced need for various security, communication, or defensive systems.
Trump has frequently defended the decision to take this gifted plane, citing delays in the Boeing Air Force One program. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister, in May described the jet as a ‘common exchange between allies’.
Alongside discussions concerning the acceptance of the gifted aircraft, American authorities are also addressing wider strategic and diplomatic issues with Qatar. The U.S. military base at Al Udeid in Doha was recently subjected to a flurry of retaliatory missiles from Iran, before experiencing an attack from Israel.
Despite this, President Trump condemned the Israeli strike, even while endorsing measures to neutralize Hamas. Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, recently convened with the Qatari emir and prime minister in Doha, underscoring the overall American intent for Qatar to stay engaged in mediation initiatives designed to ensure the safe release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas ever since October 7, 2023, and eventually disband the group.
On Monday, an Air Force representative confirmed to the Air and Space Forces Magazine: ‘The Air Force is modifying a Boeing 747 aircraft for Executive Airlift support, as directed by the Secretary of War. The specifics of the contract are classified.’
The same day, the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared his thoughts on the ongoing turbulence in Gaza. He suggested that a mediated resolution that would ensure the hostages’ liberation and the disarmament and elimination of Hamas as a threat would be ideal, recognizing Qatar’s potential critical contribution to achieving this goal.
Rubio proclaimed: ‘In essence, I believe we would all prefer a negotiated outcome that ensures the hostages’ release and the disbanding and neutralization of Hamas as a threat. We envision Qatar as having a substantial part to play, so that’s why we’re here.’
According to reports, once Trump’s tenure concludes, the plane is likely to be transferred to his Presidential Library Foundation. However, whether Trump will be able to continue using it personally is a matter yet to be clarified.
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