Tuesday, May 13, 2025

It’s All About Trump 🛩️

CNN:
has been estimated the jet is worth $400 million, but a person a person familiar with the details of the potential plan said the value of the Qatari aircraft is closer to $250 million. Overhauling it, according to administration estimates the person has been briefed on, could cost as much as three times that, or more.

Even if used temporarily as Trump has said he would, US agencies would need to ensure there were no security vulnerabilities by essentially stripping the aircraft down to its frame and rebuilding it with the necessary communications and security equipment.

“You would want to check the airplane out completely – strip it down, check for bugs, things like that, harden it to make sure nobody could hijack the electronics on the airplane … The ability for the president to command and control his military in the worst days, that takes a lot,” a retired senior military official familiar with Air Force One told CNN.

That process could take anywhere from several months to two years, the retired senior military official told CNN. Another official familiar with the situation voiced concerns that the White House is not entirely aware of how much work would have to be done on the jet, which will involve multiple intelligence agencies.

Upgrading the Qatari jet would likely not exceed what has already been spent on the long-delayed Air Force One upgrade program, but Trump has made clear accepting the Qatari jet would only be a temporary solution.
And then:
While the Air Force would largely oversee the stripping of the Qatari aircraft and rebuilding it to meet security requirements the project would also involve a slew of government agencies, including the Secret Service, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and White House Communications Agency.

“I don’t see how you do this with an acceptable level of risk in a reasonable amount of time, if you can do it at all,” a former senior counterintelligence official said.

The work required to get the luxury jet up to snuff is largely dependent on what requirements Trump would approve. But if the intention is to have the jet function as Air Force One does now, it would need to be retrofitted with a number of capabilities, including highly secure communication systems allowing the president to access intelligence and communicate with the military, necessary defensive systems, and the ability to shield against an electromagnetic pulse.

A conventional 747 aircraft does not have the ability to refuel mid-air, which would be necessary if Trump wants to be able to remain airborne for a substantial amount of time — a crucial capability in the event of a nuclear attack, for example.

“This is the central point of the US nuclear command and control network to ensure that we have second strike capability … If there were nuclear strikes and you can’t land, or if you land you might be vulnerable because you’ll be seen by satellites, staying up in the air could be the safer option,” said Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS).
How do you get this “gift” fit to be AFOne before Boeing finishes the planes on its contract, especially if you need the same people on both jobs (and Boeing can’t get enough of them to work on their two planes)? And being “the central point of the US nuclear command and control network” is something about the plane Trump simply doesn’t understand. And something the Congress, apart from emoluments issue, simply cannot overlook. Accepting this plane from Qatar does nothing for America but saddle us with a third AFOne that, considering Boeing already has cost overruns of 64%. So whatever estimate is given for making this “free gift” fit for purpose ;CNN reports an estimate of “at least $750 million; I’ve seen estimates of at least $1 billion), it’s reasonable to add 64%. At least. 

And two years, at best, to make it ready. So about the time Boeing will have two new planes ready; at best. The Qatar jet is 13 years old. How much use will we get out of it, compared to the two new ones? At what added expense?

I strongly suspect this would be the reason for Congress rejecting this idea, if the more politically explosive idea of a “flying palace” gifted by a government that supports the Houthi wasn’t in the way.

Besides, it’s really not clear Qatar is going to do it.
The potential transfer from Qatar’s Ministry of Defense to the US Defense Department has also resulted in an active legal back and forth including the Department of Justice and Qatari lawyers working through the thorny legal questions.

Concerns about the security of the aircraft aside, it remains unclear when the jet would be handed over to the US or to what extent it will be used. The Secret Service official told CNN they “highly doubt” the administration takes the jet. Qatar’s media attaché to the US, Ali Al-Ansari said Sunday that the “possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One” is “under consideration.”
I don’t think “under consideration” is what Qatar had planned to announce this week. You’re welcome to accept it when you leave the Presidency. Stephen Miller wants to suspend the emoluments clause, too. This is all about Trump. Because, of course it is. Let’s see if Qatar actually offers the plane before we consider accepting it.  Signs do not yet unequivocally point to “Yes.” I rather doubt they want to offer something they think will be turned down. (Qatar has not shown it is that aware of the process for accepting a gift by the American government. It’s not generally a good idea to offer a gift you don’t know will be accepted.)
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