President Trump said the Qatar-donated Boeing 747 will be grounded for about a month for upgrades after it began carrying him on July 1 and he switched planes on July 8 amid Iran tensions. Experts from the Mitchell Institute and CSIS say one month may allow software tweaks or non-kinetic additions like jamming systems, flares, or chaff, but a full anti-missile retrofit requires more extensive engineering, testing and certification. Boeing confirmed two new Air Force One jets are expected in 2028, and the Qatar gift — valued at approximately $400 million — has drawn political criticism.
Trump Says Qatar-Donated Boeing 747 Will Be Upgraded in a Month — Experts Say Full Retrofit Likely Takes Longer
Trump Says Qatar-Gifted Boeing 747 Will Be Upgraded in a Month—Experts Aren't So Sure
President Donald Trump announced that the Boeing 747 donated by Qatar will be taken out of service for roughly a month for upgrades. The jet began carrying Mr. Trump on July 1, but concerns about its defensive suite intensified after he switched planes mid-trip on July 8, flying an older Air Force One from Turkey to the United Kingdom amid rising tensions with Iran.
According to a Reuters report, aviation and national-security experts are skeptical that a single month is sufficient to install the full suite of defensive systems typically found on the long-standing Air Force One aircraft.
What Experts Are Saying
Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Reuters that the Air Force One platforms introduced in the 1990s carry advanced anti-missile and defensive systems. Birkey suggested the White House may have accepted fewer protections on the Qatar plane so it could enter service more quickly. He said a truly one-month effort would probably focus on non-kinetic countermeasures such as electronic jamming and infrared systems that confuse heat-seeking missiles.
Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, echoed those doubts. Cancian said the compressed timetable limits what technicians can accomplish and that the work might amount mainly to software updates or the installation of expendable countermeasures like flares and chaff rather than a full defensive retrofit.
Program Context and Reactions
Separately, Boeing Defense, Space & Security CEO Steve Parker confirmed at an event in the U.K. that Boeing expects to deliver two new Air Force One aircraft in 2028, while warning the program could raise costs for the company. The Qatar gift — widely reported at about $400 million — has also drawn political criticism. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) mocked the plane as "Air Fraud One," and some lawmakers have questioned the optics and security implications of accepting a foreign-donated presidential jet.
Why a Full Retrofit Takes Time
Experts point out that installing a comprehensive defensive suite is not simply a matter of bolting on hardware. Full retrofits require detailed engineering, integration with flight and communications systems, rigorous testing, and certification to ensure the aircraft functions safely under complex operational conditions. Those steps can extend well beyond a single month.
Bottom line: A month may be enough for targeted software tweaks and the addition of some countermeasures, but most analysts say a complete installation and certification of Air Force One–style defenses will likely take substantially longer.
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