An Air Force official said June 5 that it will likely cost under $400 million to transform a plane gifted to the United States by Qatar into the new Air Force One.
“It’s probably less than $400 million to retrofit that aircraft,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told a U.S. House of Representatives panel in Washington.
President Donald Trump announced in May that the United States was receiving a Boeing 747 from Qatar for free. He said it will be used as the new Air Force One temporarily until Boeing produces new planes for the government, including a new Air Force One.
The Department of Defense, which includes the Air Force, accepted the plane from Qatari officials later in May. “The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” a Pentagon spokesman said at the time….
Official Says It Will Cost Under $400 Million to Turn Plane From Qatar Into Air Force One
