Trump's Qatari 747 May Not Be Secure as Air Force One

A Boeing 747 jet offered to President Donald Trump by Qatar as a temporary flying White House might need fighter jet escorts and could be restricted to flying inside the US unless significant costly security upgrades were made, aviation experts and industry sources said.

- Reuters

WASHINGTON:

Even if numerous improvements to the plane's communications and defenses are made over the coming months once any deal is completed, the military escort and domestic restriction could remain in place, the experts and sources said.

As the commander-in-chief, however, Trump could waive any and all requirements like these, a former Air Force official noted.

Retrofitting the luxury plane offered by Qatar's royal family would require security upgrades, communications improvements to prevent spies from listening in and the ability to fend off incoming missiles, experts said. The costs were not known, but could be significant given Boeing's current effort to build two new Air Force One planes exceeds $5 billion.