Trump refurbishing Qatari plane for interim Air Force One

Trump is refurbishing a Qatari 747 as an interim Air Force One due to delays with Boeing’s new jets.

Published

9 months ago

May 2, 2025

Ahron Young

Trump is refurbishing a Qatari 747 as an interim Air Force One due to delays with Boeing’s new jets.

In Short

Donald Trump is seeking an interim Air Force One from L3Harris due to delays with Boeing’s new jets, which are significantly behind schedule.

The aim is to have the retrofitted plane ready by fall, as the current jets require extensive maintenance and a backup is needed.

President Donald Trump is seeking a new Air Force One due to delays with Boeing.

Frustrated with Boeing’s progress, he has turned to L3Harris to retrofit a former Qatari Boeing 747 as an interim solution.

The goal is to have this plane ready by the fall.

Boeing was awarded a $3.9 billion contract for two new Air Force One jets, which are now significantly behind schedule and over budget.

L3Harris has been involved with Boeing on communications systems for the new aircraft and is expected to provide a quicker alternative.

Currently, the aging VC-25A jets used for Air Force One require extensive maintenance, limiting transportation options for the president.

Backup jet

The U.S. Air Force has expressed the need for a backup jet while one of the current planes is being serviced.

Recent discussions suggested that Boeing may not deliver the new planes until around 2035, attributing delays to complex engineering issues.

During previous administrations, there have been considerations to cancel Boeing’s contract, with the potential of working with other manufacturers like Airbus.

Developing the interim plane quickly poses challenges, particularly in achieving modifications that meet presidential standards.

Additionally, there were talks about re-painting the current Air Force One jets to suit Trump’s preferences, which were ultimately rejected.

Ukraine and Russia set for U.S.-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi

Published

20 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that new peace talks with Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi later this week. The discussions are part of U.S.-led efforts to find a path toward ending the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine is prepared for meaningful dialogue aimed at achieving peace. The announcement comes after weeks of uncertainty over the timing of the meeting.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff described prior discussions with Russian officials as productive, though major disagreements over territorial issues remain unresolved.

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News

Tensions rise as Iran threatens conflict and U.S. increases naval forces

Iran warns of regional conflict, labels European armies terrorists; U.S. boosts naval presence as both sides consider negotiations.

Published

21 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Iran warns of regional conflict, labels European armies terrorists; U.S. boosts naval presence as both sides consider negotiations.

Iran has warned of a potential regional conflict if the U.S. launches an attack, while labelling European armies as terrorists. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted that threats from President Trump will not intimidate the Iranian people.

The U.S. has ramped up its naval presence in the Middle East in response to mounting threats, amid speculation over Iran’s next moves. Iranian officials have denied claims of imminent naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to global uncertainty.

#MiddleEastCrisis #IranUS #Geopolitics #NavalTensions #Trump #AyatollahKhamenei #EuropeanUnion #GlobalConflict

News

Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest man to complete career Grand Slam

Carlos Alcaraz, at 22, stuns tennis by winning the Australian Open, defeating Djokovic, and celebrating with a kangaroo tattoo.

Published

22 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Carlos Alcaraz, at 22, stuns tennis by winning the Australian Open, defeating Djokovic, and celebrating with a kangaroo tattoo.

Carlos Alcaraz has stunned the tennis world by winning the Australian Open, becoming the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam at just 22 years old.

The world number one beat Novak Djokovic in a thrilling four-set match, finishing 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. Djokovic missed out on claiming his 25th Grand Slam title. To mark the milestone, Alcaraz revealed he plans to add a new tattoo of a kangaroo on his leg, joining his existing Eiffel Tower and Wimbledon strawberry tattoos.

#CarlosAlcaraz #AustralianOpen #GrandSlam #TennisHistory #NovakDjokovic #SportsNews #TennisTattoo #YoungChampion