Latest news with #747-8
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Emirates airline president reveals staggering cost to transform Qatari ‘sky Palace' into Trump's new Air Force One jet
DONALD Trump's luxury "sky Palace" gifted to him by Qatar will cost a few billion dollars, says the President of Emirates airline. The US government now faces a "Herculean task" to transform the huge 9 President Trump boards Air Force One earlier this month Credit: Reuters 9 President of Emirates airline Sir Tim Clark believes it will cost a few billion dollars to properly transform it into a replacement Air Force One Credit: Emirates 9 A look inside the lavish $400million plane shows the Boeing kitted out in gold Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight 9 President Trump, 78, sparked concerns earlier this month with his willingness to family . The giant gift, worth an estimated $400m (£300m), has raised several ethical questions about if the US leader should be allowed to accept such expensive goods from other states. But despite the controversy, Trump gladly took the 13-year-old mega jet back to Washington with him. He now plans to make it part of his Air Force One fleet alongside two other Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets. read more in Donald Trump They have been operational since 1990 but are now said to be not up to scratch compared to modern planes such as Qatar 's 747-8. In order for it to become a fully fledged member of the president's aviation arsenal however, it will need to go through some serious work. It would have to be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before ever ferrying around Trump. And significant retrofitting and clearance from security officials would be required. Most read in The US Sun Sir Tim, president of Emirates, told He explained to Piers: 'I think you're talking a couple of billion dollars to start with. Trump's new $400m Qatari Air Force One jet from Qatar is 'hackers dream' "Just roll back a little bit and look at what it takes for us to convert our 777s - from the old to the new - because we haven't got the Boeing's coming in at the pace we want them so we're having to reconfigure all of them." The top aviation boss said trying to fix up all the jets as an airline has been an extremely tough task. Tim admitted to "pulling his hair out" over the regulators and the tiny tweaks that have to be made to modernise a plane of that size and stature. And he believes the US government will face an even trickier - and much more expensive - battle to get the gifted plane ready for presidential trips. He said: "It's a Herculean task, make no mistake about it. "Whether President Trump will adapt fully, this present from Qatar , to an Air Force One I doubt it, but he'll certainly get a lot of it done." Aviation specialist Jeff Wise also told The Sun that he expects the Air Force One replacement to Trump's Air Force One jets currently in use come with dozens of specialised security features . 9 Donald Trump's new 'sky Palace' which he has been gifted from the Qatari government Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight 9 The jet would need to be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before being used as Air Force One Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight 9 The plane marks the most expensive gift ever given to a US president Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight These include armoured glass and plating, on board flares to confuse enemy missiles, mirror-ball defences and even an electric jamming system. Another unique yet needed element is an electromagnetic shield for nuclear explosions. This has to be on a presidential plane as the leader of Washington can actually launch a nuke from the aircraft. But the new Qatari jet lacks most of these security features. Instead, the It also has glittering gold-coloured furnishings and hallways that echo Trump's well-know interior design preferences. The president is believed to have spent an hour inspecting the plan when when it was parked at West Palm Beach International Airport back in February. The luxury Boeing was once even listed for a whopping $400 million, according to the Business Jet Traveler. During his first stint in office, Trump had ordered two new Air Force One jumbo jets from Boeing to replace the pair that have been in service since George H. W. Bush's presidency. But the Boeing contract has faced delays, and reports suggest the new plans would not be ready until after Trump leaves the Oval Office. Fears Trump's new Air Force One replacement is vulnerable to devastating HACKS – or worse By Chief Foreign Reporter, Katie Davis A LAVISH jumbo jet Donald Trump plans to receive from Qatar will be vulnerable to hacking, an expert has warned. The Boeing 747 - dubbed He fears Trump may bypass necessary measures to save time and money - which could therefore invite hacking or a devastating assassination attempt. Wise told The Sun: 'This Air Force One would be a major intelligence target for any adversary nation or even our allies, because allies love to spy on each other. 'The United States is being given this albatross that they are going to have to spend billions of dollars on to fix up for the personal use of Trump. 'If your job is to protect the President of the United States or if your job is to protect the secrets of the United States, then this is a massive headache for you. 'This is a plane that does not have secure communications and the anti-missiles defence systems that a normal Air Force One has. It's just wide open. 'This is an administration that is completely irresponsible in the way they use their personal devices. They're using these off-brand apps to communicate. It's just a hacker's dream.' Wise continued: 'I would say an increasing number of people would like to target Air Force One. 'America's list of enemies is growing longer and longer as we become an increasingly horrible nation, from the Houthis to the Iranians to the Russians.' 9 Trump sparked concern after he willingly accepted the plush plane from the Qatari royal family, headed by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tanim bin-Hamad Al Thani Credit: AP 9 Air Force One is one of the most guarded and secure jets in the world Credit: AP
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's Qatar jet deal not finalized even as Pentagon has taken possession
Legal teams for the U.S. and Qatari governments are still working out the details of an agreement for Doha to transfer a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet that President Trump hopes to use as Air Force One, more than a week after the Pentagon said it had taken physical possession of the aircraft. A White House official confirmed to The Hill Thursday that 'the details of the gift are being finalized by legal teams' from the two countries, directing further questions to the Pentagon, which declined to comment. The Washington Post first reported Wednesday that the legal transfer of the luxury jet from Qatar to the U.S. is being held up due to an outstanding request by Doha for Washington to clarify terms of the transaction. Officials familiar with the matter told the Post that Qatar wants a memorandum of understanding between the two countries to make clear that the plane's handover was initiated by the Trump administration and that Doha is not responsible for any future transfers of the 747-8's ownership. The lingering issue comes as the Pentagon announced May 21 it had officially accepted the luxury jet previously used by the Qatari royal family, a gift announced ahead of Trump's visit to the Middle East earlier this month. The plane, intended as a stand-in for the aging Air Force One fleet after the Air Force makes lengthy and expensive modifications, is one of the largest foreign gifts ever accepted by a U.S. president. The transfer has been criticized heavily by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who are worried about ethical and security issues around the gift. Democrats are also angered by plans for the plane to potentially be transferred to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office, allowing him to have personal use of it. Trump, however, has brushed aside such concerns and insisted the jet was an excellent deal for the U.S. taxpayer. '[I] got a beautiful big magnificent free airplane for the United States Air Force,' Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday. 'Very proud of that.' Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, stressed that Qatar is still giving the United States the plane for free. 'As the president has said, this will be a sovereign-to-sovereign gift to the U.S. Air Force,' Kelly said in a statement to The Hill. But some in the GOP have pointed out the purportedly free jet is not without its costs, as it will need to face a retrofit with new power systems, electrical wiring and other technology for secure communications and self-defense needed in order to be used as Air Force One. That could take years to complete and cost more than $1 billion. Just to meet the necessary requirements to ferry around the president, the Air Force estimated that it could cost $1.5 billion, with another $500 million to later remove military gear and convert it for civilian use after Trump leaves office, two people familiar with the matter told the Post. Air Force officials also found that the aircraft has been 'very poorly maintained' and needs millions of dollars of work to bring it up to satisfactory maintenance conditions, according to the outlet. Boeing is already making two new Air Force One aircraft to replace a pair of aging versions through a $3.9 billion contract with the U.S. government that has been in place since Trump's first term in 2018. But the delivery of those aircraft has been delayed until at least 2027, which Trump has used to argue for the Qatari jet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump's Qatar jet deal not finalized even as Pentagon has taken possession
Legal teams for the U.S. and Qatari governments are still working out the details of an agreement for Doha to transfer a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet President Trump hopes to use as Air Force One, more than a week after the Pentagon said it had taken physical possession of the aircraft. A White House official confirmed to The Hill Thursday that 'the details of the gift are being finalized by legal teams' from the two countries, directing further questions to the Pentagon, which declined to comment. The Washington Post first reported Wednesday that the legal transfer of the luxury jet from Qatar to the U.S. is being held up due to an outstanding request by Doha for Washington to clarify terms of the transaction. Officials familiar with the matter told the Post that Qatar wants a memorandum of understanding between the two countries to make clear that the plane's handover was initiated by the Trump administration, and that Doha is not responsible for any future transfers of the 747-8's ownership. The lingering issue comes as the Pentagon on May 21 announced it had officially accepted the luxury jet previously used by the Qatari royal family, a gift announced ahead of Trump's visit to the Middle East earlier this month. The plane, intended as a stand-in for the aging Air Force One fleet after the Air Force makes lengthy and expensive modifications, is one of the largest foreign gifts ever accepted by a U.S. president. The transfer has been criticized heavily by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who are worried about ethical and security issues around the gift. Democrats are also angered by plans for the plane to potentially be transferred to Trump's presidential library after he leaves office, allowing him to have personal use of it. Trump, however, has brushed aside such concerns and insisted the jet was an excellent deal for the U.S. taxpayer. '[I] got a beautiful big magnificent free airplane for the United States Air Force,' Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday. 'Very proud of that.' Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, stressed that Qatar is still giving the United States the plane for free. 'As the president has said, this will be a sovereign-to-sovereign gift to the U.S. Air Force,' Kelly said in a statement to The Hill. But some in the GOP have pointed out the purportedly free jet is not without its costs, as it will need to face a retrofit with new power systems, electrical wiring and other technology for secure communications and self-defense needed in order to be used as Air Force One. That could take years to complete and cost more than $1 billion. Just to meet the necessary requirements to ferry around the president, the Air Force estimated that it could cost $1.5 billion, with another $500 million to later remove military gear and convert it for civilian use after Trump leaves office, two people familiar with the matter told the Post. Air Force officials also found that the aircraft has been 'very poorly maintained' and needs millions of dollars of work to bring it up to satisfactory maintenance conditions, according to the outlet. Boeing is already making two new Air Force Ones to replace a pair of aging versions, a $3.9 billion contract with the U.S. government that has been in place since Trump's first term in 2018. But the delivery of those aircraft has been delayed until at least 2027, which Trump has used to argue for the Qatari jet.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
This Word Means: Boeing 747
WHY NOW? The US formally accepted Qatar's gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet, valued at around $200 million, on Wednesday (May 21). The US Air Force will attempt to refurbish it to put it into use as part of the President's official aircraft fleet, Air Force One. 'The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,' Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. '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.' US President Donald Trump, while accepting the 'gift' earlier this month, said he would be 'stupid' to turn it down. And with good reason. The 747-8 is one of the world's most luxurious jets and belongs to a newer fleet of planes than the current batch that forms part of Air Force One. According to a Business Insider article, the interiors of the jet have been designed by French interior design firm Cabinet Alberto Pinto and reflect its previous use by a Middle Eastern businessman. The interiors of the jet are currently sectioned into several rooms, including a foyer and bedrooms, similar to a house. Unlike a traditional aircraft with seats that confine passengers to a steady position, this jumbojet resembles a two-storeyed luxury villa and features lounges and dining areas, private offices and guest bedrooms, bathrooms, beds and suites. The showers in particular are a major selling point of the Boeing and Airbus luxury jets, according to the article. WHAT ARE SOME CONCERNS AROUND THE GIFT? Across party lines, lawmakers of both the Democratic Party and Trump's own Republican Party are investigating whether the 'gift' violates ethical and legal guidelines. According to the US Constitution's Emoluments Clause, Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 was designed to shield the republic from foreign influence. It reads, 'No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.' The gift has also raised questions of impropriety, with lawmakers wondering if Qatar is attempting to purchase influence with the US, or if the plane itself may be equipped with spying devices. According to a report by The New York Times, some members of Congress worry that Trump will pressure the US Air Force to expedite work for its readiness as a presidential plane, and may not allow the time to integrate the required security measures into the plane. The Air Force One, which carries the President, will need to be equipped with defence systems against missiles or even nuclear weapons. According to the NYT report, Qatar has been attempting to dispose of this plane for the last five years since it was last used by members of the royal family. The article cited an airline broker as saying he had a hard time finding a buyer for 747 jets, whose manufacture was stopped in 2022. These planes are expensive to operate and use four engines, while current heads of state rely on the less expensive two-engine jet planes.
22-05-2025
- Politics
US formally accepts Qatari jet as new Air Force One
The Trump administration is accepting the lavish 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the government of Qatar to be used as Air Force One.
