Trump unveils new Air Force One, a converted Qatari 747

Donald Trump in front of the VC-25B aircraft, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on 19 June. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters View image in fullscreen Donald Trump in front of the VC-25B aircraft, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on 19 June. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Trump unveils new Air Force One, a converted Qatari 747 New craft, called VC-25B Bridge, had provoked protest since $400m jet wildly exceeds limit on unsolicited gifts Donald Trump unveiled the new, temporary Air Force One at a hangar at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Friday, a day after White House officials bid farewell to one of two Boeing 747s used to transport presidents for more than 30 years. The new jet, designated VC-25B and decked out in a punchy red, white, dark blue and gold livery, was gifted to Trump by the Gulf emirate of Qatar , provoking howls of political protest since the $400m jet wildly exceeds the limit on unsolicited gifts of $50 in value in a single calendar year from the same source. Trump dismissed criticism of the arrangement, saying it would be “stupid” to turn down the offer. Then Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell had said that “the secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations”. The cost of converting the Qatari 747 has been put at $1bn, and it is designed to serve as a “bridge” aircraft until two long-delayed presidential Boeings are delivered in 2027 and 2028. The cost of the two purpose-built aircraft have ballooned from $3.7bn to $5bn. Criticism of the gifted Qatari jet, which the Gulf state had previously tried to sell without success, included accusations that the costs of conversion could divert money from Sentinel, an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) modernization program already running years behind schedule. At the unveiling, Trump thanked the emir of Qatar. “He’s a fantastic guy,” he said. “He went through a lot over the last few months.” “This is considered ​the world’s most luxurious plane.” Trump added. “When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again.” Trump has argued that the new jet was necessary to keep pace with more modern aircraft flown by foreign leaders. “These countries have a lot of respect for us, and yet they have a plane that’s much newer ​and much better. It’s a little ridiculous,” Trump said. The two ageing 747s in the presidential fleet entered service in 1990, during the presidency of George HW Bush. Earlier this year, one of the pair was forced to turn back to Washington on a trip to Davos, Switzerland, owing to a technical fault. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the crew identified a “minor electrical issue” and chose to turn around and return to the Andrews base. The air force fast-tracked the retrofitting of the Qatari jet, but has skipped some planned modifications for the next-generation presidential jet in order to deliver an interim version sooner. Officia