The US President had earlier expressed frustration over Boeing's delays in delivering updated Air Force One aircraft and is exploring alternatives like buying an old one from another country.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering buying used Boeing aircraft 바카라” perhaps from an overseas seller 바카라” to use as Air Force One when he's abroad, as he fumes over the US plane-maker's delays in producing two specially modified ones for presidential use, reports said.
While speaking to reporters aboard one of the two nearly 35-year-old Boeing 747-200 planes currently in use, Trump stated, 바카라śWe바카라™re exploring other options, as Boeing is taking too long.바카라ť
Jump To Airbus?
바카라śWe might just purchase a plane,바카라ť he added, noting he could then 바카라śconvert it.바카라ť He later clarified that he wasn바카라™t considering purchasing an aircraft from Airbus, the only other major global supplier of large wide-body planes, but would be open to buying a used Boeing instead. 바카라śI would not consider Airbus. I might buy one from another country, or perhaps get one from abroad,바카라ť Trump said.
Boeing holds the contract to produce updated versions based on the newer Boeing 747-8, but delays have plagued the delivery. The company has lost billions on the deal, which was negotiated during Trump's first term.
The issue isn't with the planes themselves, but rather the extensive modifications required to make them suitable for presidential use, including top-level security protocols for personnel. These modifications, combined with the cost of the updates, have contributed to the delays. Trump had previously dropped a requirement for the new planes바카라”known as VC-25B바카라”to be capable of air-to-air refueling, a feature of the older VC-25As, which were designed during the Cold War.
Additional updates include secure communications equipment for the president, survivability enhancements for various contingencies, and self-contained air stairs to enable use in more remote locations.
On February 15, Trump toured a newer Boeing 747-800 to examine its new technology and hardware, emphasizing the delay in delivering the updated Air Force One planes. The White House reported that Trump visited the 13-year-old private jet, once owned by the Qatari royal family, while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.
With PTI inputs.