[Global Network Report] According to CNN and other media reports, after the Trump administration officially accepted a Boeing 747 passenger plane donated by the Qatar government, U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Mainke said at a hearing on the House Armed Services Committee on the 5th local time that converting the aircraft into a presidential special plane "Air Force One" may "may" cost the Air Force nearly $400 million.
On February 15, Trump visited a Boeing 747 passenger plane in Qatar. The plane was parked at Palm Beach International Airport, Florida. Source: Foreign media
"You can't (required) convert an aircraft that was originally used for other purposes into Air Force One, and hope that the aircraft is free." Meirk said that the aircraft needs to be equipped with encrypted communication technology, strengthened defense and countermeasures, "It's obvious that this will consume the Air Force's budget."
Troy Mainke Data Picture Source: Foreign media
reported that Mainke did not want to disclose the details of the aircraft modification, and said that most of the information was confidential. But he revealed the cost of modifying the aircraft, "the actual cost of modification of the aircraft may be nearly $400 million." It is worth noting that, according to a US Department of Defense official, the market valuation of the aircraft is about $200 million, far lower than its modification costs.
The report mentioned that the aircraft is currently parked in San Antonio, Texas, USA waiting for upgrade and modification. CNN also said it was a difficult task to modify a used aircraft from other governments and install the security and communication equipment needed for it. The responsible agency needs to dismantle the aircraft to only the frame remaining, and then install the necessary equipment for reconstruction.
The US Department of Defense officially accepted the Boeing 747-8 luxury aircraft given by Qatar as a "gift" on May 21. The US Air Force has been asked to quickly upgrade and convert it into a special plane that meets the requirements for President Trump to use. This incident has caused widespread controversy in the United States. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized that "the U.S. president has officially accepted the largest bribe from a foreign government in U.S. history." At the same time, many security experts, including senior Pentagon officials, criticized the Trump administration's decision, saying that the aircraft will undergo a huge and long transformation project before it can meet the strict safety standards and technical specifications required by the U.S. presidential aircraft.
At the same time, according to the Washington Post, citing information from informed officials, Qatar asked the United States to make clear in the memorandum of understanding that the transfer of the passenger plane was initiated by the Trump administration, and the legal team representing the United States and the Qatar government has not reached a final agreement on the transfer of the passenger plane. Qatar is still waiting for further clarification on the terms of the transaction.
