Air Force says former Qatari 747 will be ready to fly as Air Force One this summer

The U.S. Air Force has completed modifications and flight testing of a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and expects to deliver it to the Presidential Airlift Group this summer for use as a temporary Air Force One during the Trump administration. The reporting is sourced to Air Force announcements and includes corroboration from Bloomberg and defense-focused outlets confirming the L3Harris Technologies modifications and summer delivery timeline, demonstrating solid journalistic standards for a breaking announcement. Independent coverage from Reuters-affiliated outlets (Bloomberg) and specialized defense media (The War Zone) corroborates the core facts and timeline, while Raw Story notes this gift has drawn some controversy regarding its appropriateness and operational limitations compared to the purpose-built VC-25B aircraft currently in service. Watch for the actual delivery and operational deployment of the aircraft this summer, as well as any congressional oversight or public debate regarding the acceptance of foreign-donated presidential transport equipment.