President Donald Trump took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747-800 gifted by Qatar, worth $400 million. The refurbished jet has a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes and features luxury amenities such as plush carpets, lie-flat seats, and wood paneling.
Features and Upgrades
The new Air Force One has undergone significant modifications, including the installation of a presidential seal on the seat belts. However, it lacks some of the advanced security features of the previous aircraft, such as missile detection and countermeasure systems.
According to Jeremiah Gertler, a senior analyst for Teal Group, an aviation and defense consulting firm, the absence of these features suggests that the Qatari jet is better suited for domestic flights. The Air Force has stated that the rapid conversion of the jet was done without compromising security, safety, or secure communications.
First Official Trip
The new Air Force One carried President Trump to North Dakota, where he visited the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. The library is set to open on the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
