U.S. to Refurbish Old Qatari Jet as Backup Air Force One for Trump

The U.S. government has tapped defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to refurbish a former Qatari government Boeing 747 into a backup Air Force One for President Donald Trump, with plans to have it operational as early as this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.

During his first term, President Trump pushed for the replacement of the aging Air Force One fleet. In 2018, Boeing secured a $3.9 billion contract to build two new VC-25B aircraft—modified versions of the Boeing 747-8I—meant to succeed the aging VC-25A planes. While initial delivery was targeted for December 2024, Boeing has repeatedly delayed the project due to supply chain disruptions, ballooning costs, and complex customization demands.

Frustrated by the delays, Trump reportedly turned to Florida-based L3Harris, a subcontractor for Boeing’s communications systems on the next-gen presidential aircraft. L3Harris is now tasked with upgrading the older Boeing 747, once flown by Qatar’s government, to meet the stringent standards required of a presidential transport.

The refurbished aircraft would serve as a third presidential jet—a backup option when one of the existing VC-25As is undergoing maintenance. U.S. Air Force officials have long advocated for a third aircraft, citing the need for redundancy in the presidential fleet. Still, sources caution that it may be difficult for the upgraded plane to meet the full security and capability standards of the so-called “flying White House” by the end of the year.

Despite ongoing delays, Boeing is still under contract to deliver the two new VC-25Bs, though some analysts believe final delivery could be pushed back as far as 2035.

Neither the White House, L3Harris, nor Boeing have commented on the Wall Street Journal report.

“Air Force One” is the official call sign used by the U.S. Air Force for any aircraft carrying the president. The term is most commonly associated with the VC-25A, a highly customized Boeing 747-200B that has served as the primary presidential aircraft since 1990.

Sources familiar with the matter say Trump has frequently demanded progress updates on the new Air Force One project. On April 18, he reportedly met with Boeing’s CEO in the Oval Office to address concerns about the delays.

(Sources: Reuters, Wall Street Journal)

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