Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 22

Senate Republicans Block Schumer Bid to Stop $1 Billion Qatari Air Force One Upgrade

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 22

Senate Republicans Block Schumer Bid to Stop $1 Billion Qatari Air Force One Upgrade

Q: What specific security features does the older Air Force One have that prompted the last-minute swap in Turkey?

The older Air Force One was chosen because it already carries the full defensive suite the newer Qatari-gifted 747-8 does not yet have. Those protections include Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures, a laser-based system designed to disrupt or blind the guidance of incoming heat-seeking missiles. It also has missile-warning and misdirection systems, including countermeasures such as flares or other diversion technology to throw off an attacking missile. Former officials and military experts also pointed to the older jet’s hardened construction and protection against electromagnetic pulse effects, giving it greater survivability in a high-threat environment. Beyond missile defense, the older VC-25A aircraft is equipped with the secure communications and command-and-control systems expected of Air Force One, allowing the president to remain connected during a crisis. It also has midair refueling capability, which reduces time on the ground and extends endurance if conditions become dangerous. The Secret Service pushed for the swap because those systems were already operational on the older aircraft, while the newer 747-8 is still awaiting additional upgrades. That mattered especially in Turkey, given its proximity to the Middle East and the reported concern about potential Iranian threats.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 22

Senate Republicans on Wednesday stopped Chuck Schumer from fast-tracking a bill that would bar Pentagon funds from upgrading, maintaining or modifying Trump’s Qatari-gifted 747-8.
Upgrading the jet—valued at about $400 million—could cost taxpayers as much as $1 billion, and Democrats argue the foreign-owned aircraft poses security and ethics risks.
Those concerns intensified after Trump returned from Turkey on a different plane; the new aircraft still lacks some enhancements, including countermeasures for heat-seeking missiles.
The White House says the jet is safe now but will be grounded for about a month this fall for additional upgrades, with Trump flying on the older Air Force One during that period.
Republicans said Schumer’s bill was too broad because it could also hit the Korean Air-sourced SAOC fleet, which supports U.S. nuclear command and control in a crisis.