US President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a new interim Air Force One presidential plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The aircraft was gifted to the US by Qatar and will be a “bridge” solution to transport the US President until the new aircraft arrives from Boeing.
Air Force One is the name given to any aircraft used to transport the President of the United States, usually heavily modified Boeing 747s.
Trump’s ‘flying white house’
“This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that no one had ever seen before,” Trump said in the huge hangar.
“When you look at it, you won’t believe it, really, the quality of the wood, the quality of the materials, the quality of the engine,” the president exclaimed. “And I want to thank the Emir of Qatar.
“Now, when we land in airports in London and Germany and various places, no one is above it, and we have to keep it that way for our country,” Trump said. He added that the colors and design “are to my liking, I would say.”
The Trump administration last year accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar for use as the presidential aircraft.
Critics said accepting such a gift could violate strict rules on gifts for U.S. presidents and raise further questions about conflicts of interest with Trump’s family businesses and use of public office.
In May last year, Trump defended the gift and said opposition to such a gift was wrong because it meant Air Force One could be replaced “for free”.
Making the aircraft undergo ‘commissioning flights’ will be seen as the ‘final test’
The US Air Force said the Boeing VC-25B bridge aircraft will begin initial “commissioning flights” after arriving at the Presidential Airlift Group.
The Air Force said in a statement that the commissioning flights are considered the “final test” for aircraft modification.
After these flights, the aircraft will be officially “commissioned” or put into active service.
“The safety and security of the Commander in Chief is our top priority,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meinke said.
The Air Force said the aircraft will “relieve pressure on the aging VC-25A fleet” of the aircraft, which have been in service since the 1990s.
The Air Force previously said the cost of security modifications to the jet would be less than $400 million.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico
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