Can the Qatari 747 be converted into a proper Air Force One?

Converting the Qatari “gifted” luxury Boeing 747 into an Air Force One, equivalent to a flying White House, could turn into a significantly more expensive and technically challenging task than envisaged by President Donald Trump. Trump has indicated he wants an interim Air Force One – the Qatari option -by the end of the year. However, it’s likely to take far longer than the three years and eight months left of Trump’s presidency., unless the specifications for the aircraft are drastically reduced; and that could be seen as playing Russian roulette with the president’s safety. The controversial announcement that Trump had accepted the offered gift of the 747during his recent Middle East tour, followed years of frustration and delay arising from the Boeing company’s attempt to build two new Air Force Ones, now not expected until 2029. Transforming a luxury aircraft into a flying beast capable of withstanding the totality of potential hostile targeting, from cyber attacks and electronic jamming to “worst scenario” nuclear explosions, is going to require the most advanced expertise and a timetable which so far has been beyond the capability of one of the biggest defence companies in the world.The $400 million Qatari 747 is currently parked at the airport in San Antonia, Texas, waiting to be officially handed over to the US Air Force. The gift has been met with an alarmed reaction from Congress over the ethics of accepting the plane at all. But the president said he would be a fool not to be grateful for the gift and has now left the task of transforming it into an Air Force One in the hands of the air force and the Pentagon. What will be involved? Richard Aboulafia, managing director of Aerodynamic Advisory and an expert on the aviation industry, told The Times: “It’s an enormous challenge. We have two ‘buckets’ [stages] here, first the stripping down to the nuts and bolts to make sure that there is nothing there that could compromise the aircraft’s security. “This is the Qatari government, so, obviously I’m not making any accusations, but it would still be necessary to make sure there are no hidden listening devices, like electronic bugs, or a concealed transponder [which acts like a radio that reveals the aircraft’s location and altitude].“Then in the second bucket, you have the upgrade, to turn it into an Air Force One. It has to be wired so that the communication system is survivable under every scenario. Boeing’s new Air Force One programme is building in all new systems, including the battle management system.” He added:“It’s difficult to see how a Qatari aircraft could be ready for operational use before the Boeing one, so what is the point, unless President Trump wants to keep the aircraft for when he leaves office. {Trump has denied this].” The Boeing 747 is the obvious choice for an Air Force One. It has four engines, specifically designed for long-haul flights. The 747-8, the 13-year-old luxury variant donated by the Qatari royal family, also has four engines. The current Air Force One, called Boeing VC-25A, is based on the Boeing 747-200B and was designed with in-flight refuelling. However, the new-generation model which, like the Qatari aircraft, is based on a 747-8 and is designated VC-25B, will not have this facility. The Qatari luxury jumbo jet does have an air-refuelling capability but it would probably need substantial upgrading to meet the specifications required for an Air Force One. The most crucial aspects of an Air Force One are its survivability as an airborne command centre as well as a means of transport for the president and his key staff. Communications have to be invulnerable to attack or jamming and must be as secure as if the president was sitting in the Situation Room in the basement of the White House. The US Air Force which is responsible for ensuring the commander-in-chief can continue to govern and issue executive orders at all times when in midair will ensure that whoever adapts the Qatari Boeing into an Air Force One will include back-up systems to ensure 24-hour operability. The advanced communication system has to be capable of withstanding the impact of electromagnetic pulses (EMP), one of the additional “ingredients” of a nuclear explosion which can wipe out electronics. One way to provide such protection is to build what is known as a metal “Faraday Cage” around the communications systems to keep out the EMP threat. The current Air Force One is fitted with sophisticated self-protection devices to ward off incoming surface-to-air or air-to-air guided missiles. The AN/AAR-54 missile launch warning receiver gives notice of incoming missile threats and the AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis directional infra-red countermeasures system ,when launched against missiles can disrupt the guidance equipment. The presidential plane also has flares to confuse incoming missiles, and chaff, which, when fired, consists of a cloud of aluminium reflective strips that act as a decoy to draw radar-guided weapons away from focusing on the real target. The Qatari 747-8 would need all such systems to provide sufficient protection for the president. “The key to Air Force One is the security of POTUS [president of the United States] and his communications,” Paul Beaver, British defence analyst and aviation historian, said. “To modify an existing airframe will take time, possibly years. It would be better to start from scratch,” he said. However, starting from scratch would also take years, probably into the 2030s. But Trump wants it in the next seven months. The only way this would be feasible would be if corners were substantially cut and the security features normally associated with the aircraft were reduced, making it a less secure presidential aircraft than the current Air Force One. Boeing’s new programme is already well over cost, with estimates rising from the initial $3.9 billion in 2018 to more than $4.7 billion. Even the Qatari option with fewer security features will cost millions, if not billions.