The United States decided to accept a luxurious Boeing 747 as a gift by the Qatar government to President Donald Trump. Now, the Air Force should find a way to update it quickly so that it can be used as a new Air Force One, as a Defense Department spokesman confirmed on Wednesday. The plane, whose value estimated by industry executives is about $ 200 million (R $ 1.1 billion), will require extensive work before it can be considered safe enough to transport Trump, the Pentagon authorities have recognized in recent days.
“Any civil aircraft will need significant modifications to this,” said Troy Meink, Secretary of the Air Force on Tuesday during a Senate testimony. “We are not now analyzing what will need for this particular aircraft.”
A month after the American assumed the presidency, Qatar agreed to send the jet to Florida while Trump was at his resort so he could see the plane personally. The plane arrived on the morning of February 15, after a direct flight from Doha to West Palm Beach. Trump got out of his club and made the short drive to the airport, landing from his limo around 10am to see the aircraft that had already been used by Qatar’s royal family.
“Each surface and detail of this environment reflects the opulent design,” said the sales leaflet. “The highest level of handicraft and engineering was meticulously applied to equip the interior.”
The upper floor has a lounge and a communications center, while the main room can be “converted into a medical patient transport unit with direct oxygen supply.” For the team, there was an “executive class” section with 12 reclining seats.
The Boeing 747-8 of the Qatar Royal Family, operated by Qatar Amiri Flight, is one of the most luxurious private aircraft in the world, configured to carry only 89 passengers and 18 crew members with the highest standard of comfort.
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Its interior was meticulously designed to reflect the grandeur of a “flying palace” with private suites, meeting rooms, offices, spacious living areas, central staircase, showers and noble wood finishes. Sophisticated decoration is combined with state -of -the -art technology in communication, entertainment and safety.
“The 747-8 Intercontinental features the newest engine and wing combination in the industry, new advanced materials and updated cockpit for better performance with a small environmental impact,” says the manufacturer’s website.
Resistance
The plan to receive the donation attracted the concern of members of Congress, who fear that Trump pressures the Air Force to do the work so quickly that sufficient safety measures are not incorporated into the plane, such as missile defense systems or even systems to protect the plane from the electromagnetic effects from a nuclear explosion.
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“If President Trump insists on converting this plane into an reinforced Air Force One before 2029, I worry about the pressures you can suffer to cut off operational safety costs,” said Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat, while Meink Ame.
The gift also attracted questions from Democrats and Republicans in Congress, who fear that Qatar may be trying to improperly influence Trump, or that the plane himself may have listening devices.
Qatar Prime Minister MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN BIN JASSIM AAL-THANI said publicly on Monday that your government approved the delivery of the plane as a gift, rejecting the idea that it was an attempt to influence the president.
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“We are a country that would like to have a strong partnership and a strong friendship, and everything we provide to any country is supplied out of respect for this partnership and is a two -way relationship,” he said. “It’s mutually beneficial for Qatar and the United States.”
