Overview
- The Air Force said the Qatar-gifted 747-8i finished modifications and flight tests and is now being painted, with entry into service targeted for July 4.
- The White House accepted the 13-year-old jet in 2025 and directed L3Harris to add secure communications, electronic defenses, and other presidential upgrades.
- Security teams inspected the used aircraft to guard against hidden surveillance gear, addressing concerns raised by experts about eavesdropping and missile threats.
- Critics from Democratic circles and watchdog groups call the gift a conflict of interest, while President Trump dismissed refusing it as “stupid.”
- Boeing’s official VC-25B replacements are now slated for mid-2028 after years of delays and costs rising above $5 billion, which drove the push for this stopgap.