Qatar-gifted Air Force One replacement unveiled

A new Air Force One gifted by Qatar as a replacement aircraft for ferrying US presidents was unveiled on Friday by the US Air Force.

"The Air Force's VC-25B Bridge aircraft has officially arrived at the Presidential Airlift Group and will commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform," the Air Force said.

Qatar's gift of the aircraft - valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars - has raised ethical, constitutional and security concerns.

US President Donald Trump has previously it would be "stupid" to reject the gift, while also stoking further concern by saying the plane would eventually be donated to his presidential library.

The US president has fixated on replacing the aircraft, which have been in service since the 1990s, since his first term.

On Thursday, White House officials bade farewell to one of the two heavily modified Boeing 747s that have transported US presidents for decades, which fueled speculation that the new jet would be unveiled imminently.

While the now-replaced aircraft sported a blue and white exterior, the new aircraft has a navy blue underbelly, thin red stripe and blue upper body.

Whenever a US president is on the jet, it officially takes the call sign Air Force One.
The US government has contracted Boeing to deliver two new 747-8 aircraft to serve as part of the presidential fleet, however the program has been plagued by delays and cost-overruns.

Agence France-Presse