New Air Force One Enters Service
US President Donald Trump attended the official unveiling ceremony of the new Air Force One — a luxurious Boeing 747-8i gifted to the United States from Qatar, valued at approximately $400 million.
1.Official Unveiling Ceremony
US President Donald Trump attended the official unveiling ceremony of the new Air Force One — the official presidential aircraft — last Friday (June 19) at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. What makes this particularly notable is that this luxurious Boeing 747-8i model aircraft was a gift to the United States from the State of Qatar.
2.A $400 Million Gift
Valued at approximately $400 million, the aircraft is intended to be used as an 'interim' plane until the new presidential transport aircraft ordered by the US government are delivered in 2027 and 2028. Foreign media reports that approximately one billion dollars has been spent to renovate the Qatar-gifted aircraft with security upgrades and specialized technology to make it suitable for presidential use.
3.Political and Ethical Controversy
The acceptance of this aircraft as a gift has sparked some political and ethical controversy within the United States, as it far exceeds the annual $50 limit on gifts from foreign governments. However, President Trump dismissed those criticisms, saying it would be 'foolish' to reject such a valuable gift. Trump expressed his gratitude to the Qatari ruler and described him as an 'outstanding person.'
4.A Flying White House
"This aircraft has been turned into a flying White House. The luxury on board is something the world has never seen before. This can be considered the most luxurious aircraft in the world," President Trump remarked at the event.
5.New Color Scheme and Interior
Replacing the robin's egg blue color that had been used on Air Force One aircraft since the Kennedy era, the new aircraft is painted in dark blue, red, gold, and white. This color scheme closely resembles the livery of Trump's personal aircraft, and its interior features expensive leather seats, luxurious carpeting, and wooden finishes.
6.Upcoming Appearances and Events
The new aircraft is also set to participate in a massive air show over Washington DC coinciding with the United States' 250th Independence Day celebration on July 4th, and Trump will travel to next month's NATO summit in Turkey aboard this new plane as well.
7.Retirement of the Old Air Force One
Meanwhile, an older Air Force One that had transported presidents since the George H.W. Bush administration in 1990 was officially retired last Thursday, after bringing Trump back from the G7 summit in France. It is set to be put on display in a museum in the future.
Editorial Standards & Fact-Checking Transparency
This report adheres to Daily Science News' rigorous academic guidelines. All claims are verified against primary scientific literature from institutions including NASA, ESA, CERN, and peer-reviewed journals. Supervised by Dulaksha Sandeepa. Questions or corrections? Contact contact@sciencenewshub.click.