The Pentagon has officially accepted a $400 million luxury airliner from Qatar, which will serve as the new Air Force One — the plane of the US president.
This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.
"The Secretary of Defense accepted the Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said.
The US Air Force said it was preparing to award a contract to upgrade the plane to perform the functions of Air Force One. Details were not disclosed because information about the plane is classified.
White House officials hope that the luxuriously equipped Boeing 747-8 will be ready for use as Air Force One by the end of the year.
However, according to industry experts, defense officials and former military personnel, achieving such deadlines is nearly impossible unless Trump agrees to give up many of the features characteristic of Air Force One.
The decision to accept a donated commercial aircraft raised questions about security and legality, as US law prohibits government officials from accepting expensive gifts from foreign countries.
Trump has previously expressed frustration over delays in the construction of two new Air Force One aircraft, which are to replace the current aircraft, manufactured back in 1990 — the last time Boeing produced the most modern version of the presidential aircraft.
The U.S. Air Force traditionally uses modified domestically produced aircraft as the presidential aircraft and symbol of the United States.
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