The US President had earlier expressed frustration over Boeing's delays in delivering updated Air Force One aircraft and is exploring alternatives like buying an old one from another country.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering buying used Boeingꦇ aircraft — perhaps from an overseas seller — to use as Air Force One when he's abroad, as he fumes over the US plane-maker's delays in producing two specially modified ones for presidential use, reports said.
𒁏While speaking to reporters aboard one of the two nearly 35-year-old Boeing 747-200 planes currently in use, Trump stated, “We’re exploring other options, as Boeing is taking too long.”
Jump To Airbus?
💧“We might just purchase a plane,” he added, noting he could then “convert it.” He later clarified that he wasn’t considering purchasing an aircraft from Airbus, the only other major global supplier of large wide-body planes, but would be open to buying a used Boeing instead. “I would not consider Airbus. I might buy one from another country, or perhaps get one from abroad,” Trump said.
⛦Boeing holds the contract to produce updated versions based on the newer Boeing 747-8, but delays have plagued the delivery. The company has lost billions on the deal, which was negotiated during Trump's first term.
ඣThe issue isn't with the planes themselves, but rather the extensive modifications required to make them suitable for presidential use, including top-level security protocols for personnel. These modifications, combined with the cost of the updates, have contributed to the delays. Trump had previously dropped a requirement for the new planes—known as VC-25B—to be capable of air-to-air refueling, a feature of the older VC-25As, which were designed during the Cold War.
♐Additional updates include secure communications equipment for the president, survivability enhancements for various contingencies, and self-contained air stairs to enable use in more remote locations.
𝐆On February 15, Trump toured a newer Boeing 747-800 to examine its new technology and hardware, emphasizing the delay in delivering the updated Air Force One planes. The White House reported that Trump visited the 13-year-old private jet, once owned by the Qatari royal family, while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.
With PTI inputs.