Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One

The Air Force has started modifying a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar for “executive airlift,” a spokesperson said Sept. 15. President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly the jet as “Air Force One” since new presidential transports, held up by delays, won’t be ready until after his term is over.

“As directed by the Secretary of War, the Air Force is modifying a Boeing 747 aircraft for Executive Airlift support,” the Air Force spokesperson said in a brief statement to media outlets. “Details related to the contract are classified.” 

The spokesperson declined to answer further questions from Air & Space Forces Magazine, offering no details on either the contract, the contractor, or the scope of work.

The Pentagon officially accepted the 747-8 jet from the Qatari government in May, and Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Air Force at that time to start planning the necessary modifications to enable it to be a suitable presidential transport, Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink told lawmakers in June. 

Meink said the cost of the “retrofit of that aircraft is actually probably less than $400 million,” but critics in Congress countered the cost will approach $1 billion. With the contract classified, actual costs remain a public mystery. 

While the Air Force has not identified the contractor for the retrofit, multiple media outlets have reported that L3Harris got the job. 

Trump has suggested he could fly on the temporary Air Force One as soon as February 2026. The goal at a minimum is for him to do so before his term ends in January 2029. 

Boeing won a $3.5 billion contract in 2018 to deliver two 747s adapted for presidential requirements in the VC-25B program. But upgrading the two pre-owned, but never-operated 747-8s has dragged on. Boeing has incurred $2 billion in losses on the fixed-price deal, and cites the struggle to find skilled labor with the clearances needed to work on such a highly classified project. Supply chain issues have also contrbuted to delays.

How the Pentagon can get the 13-year-old ex-Qatari jet adapted and flying faster than the VC-25B program, is not clear, but the use of the “executive airlift” label, as opposed to “presidential transport,” could suggest a different set of requirements.