Air Force Dumb
Qatar is gifting Trump a $400 million luxury 747 to serve as a temporary Air Force One, but experts warn that retrofitting it to meet presidential security standards could take years, cost hundreds of millions more, and risk national security due to potential embedded surveillance.
The current VC-25s aren’t just repainted 747s. They’re a pair of flying fortresses that must be capable of allowing the president to run the country, survive wartime conditions (even nuclear), and be totally secure from outside influence or intrusion. While the precise details of the current airframe are a tightly guarded secret, some details are included on government fact sheets or have been revealed in various media reports. For a start, it must have an in-flight refueling capability so the president can go anywhere in the world and stay up as long as needed. Retrofitting this to an existing 747 would be very expensive, as the feds would need to strengthen portions of the hull to handle the refueling system and reconfigure the fuel tanks to handle trim issues.
Then there’s the hull, which is known to be armored, and the windows are also thicker than you’d find on a normal flight. The government would also need to build in weapons systems like the chaff rockets used against radar-guided missiles, flares against heat seekers, and AN/ALQ-204 Matador Infrared Countermeasure systems, or similar to try and confuse incoming missiles. Next up, the engines and electrical systems would have to be replaced. The electronics in the current VC-25s are hardened as much as possible against an electromagnetic pulse that would be generated by a nuclear detonation. There are also claims that the aircraft have extra shielding in the engines to help against missile fragments should a physical attack happen.
Next up are communications. Air Force One has air-to-ground, air-to-air, and satellite comms systems that are thought to be the equal of what’s in the White House. There are at least two separate internal phone systems - one open and the other highly secure - that would need to be installed and checked as well. Then there are incidentals. Contrary to what films will tell you, there is no escape capsule on the current Air Force One, nor a rear parachute ramp, but there is a medical suite with emergency equipment and space for a physician which would already need to be installed, as well as a secured cargo area designed to prevent tampering or unauthorized access. As for the threat of embedded surveillance devices, Richard Aboulafia, managing director of aircraft consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, said: “You’d have to take it apart piece by piece to stop a professional operator putting in lots of equipment to confuse things, like spare sensors and wiring.”
“It wouldn’t be in the air before 2030 at the earliest, long after he’s left office and probably later than the existing planned replacements,” said Aboulafia. “It makes no sense on any level, except that he wants a free 747 for himself. Nothing else makes any sense.”
“What’s sort of annoying about the whole thing is I’m not sure what’s wrong with the current Air Force One,” Aboulafia said. “Maybe if they gave it a gold makeover, he’d like it more.”
Trump is the embodiment of a security disaster, the airplane is just the icing on the top
How would Donnie react if they did take the plane… and then gave it the FULL work over? I’m talking fully disassembled on some hangar floor, not a single bolt holding two things together. Gotta check everything!
“Sure, Mister P, your plane will be ready for use in just a couple of years, maybe 2036.”
He’d be ‘stupid’ not to take it, though. :|
experts warn that retrofitting it to meet presidential security standards could take years, cost hundreds of millions more, and risk national security due to potential embedded surveillance.
Oh, but that’s the mindset from before the current administration. Back when presidential whims were at least moderated by process and oversight. Back when people believed that it didn’t matter if America elected a ridiculous tinpot dictator, because they couldn’t do anything just by themselves, the rest of the government was there to see the law and procedures were to be followed at all times. Now? Nobody in the White House cares. Donnie wants a jet, Donnie gets a jet.
I know how this is going to end. Trump will ignore all security advice and just move right into the new plane without any delay or investigation. He dubs the plane “Air Force Gold.” He quickly forgets the security warnings and moves on with his term. Unfortunately for him, in time he also forgot who gave him that plane. Which is why he didn’t think twice when in 2026, he stabbed the Qataris in the back in a crucial trade deal, arms contract, or international incident. One night, when the plane is flying over the remote Pacific, all systems aboard suddenly shut down. No control surfaces respond. The engines shut down and all control is lost. Gold Force One spirals downward, eventually striking the water at 400 mph. The debris of the plain quickly sinks, weighed down by literal gold. There are no survivors. “The Tale of Trump” eventually becomes a new Aesop.
This is just pure delusional. They wouldn’t crash Air Force Gold with him on it. They would do it without him on it, as a warning. He’s too easy to use, why would anybody with money exchange him for a potential ‘difficult’ president?
“Where were you when you heard that Trump’s plane went down?” is a conversation that does sound fun to have one day. But I just doubt it will happen. Too many other self-serving people in the admin will push to ensure it’s safe behind the scenes (for them).
Besides, I’d rather see him in a jail cell. Or an execution chamber, if the court determines it required given treason is a capital offense and he is a repeat prolific offender. Either is fine with me - beggars can’t be choosers.
Both is good. But now that I know the Pacific timeline I’m curious for the aftermaths.
This is the stupidest timeline. We miss you Harambe
He’s living the dream with the quadriscut
Thank you for guiding me to the quadriscuit.
Perhaps Harambe was saving us from an even darker timeline.
Nice dream
The real question is “what news is trump trying to bury with this 747 crap”
I’m not sure he’s smart enough to try that tactic.
…plus they have to add these little armored balls which can eject personnel into new york their for own safety, provided an escort arrives to facilitate their ultimate escape…
Maybe he’ll die? please?
Not sure who would want to kill him. Assad? But he’s already deposed. Hamas or Jordan could probably get intel from the Saudis, but lack firepower.
Russia and China are celebrating President Idiot, definitely don’t want to replace him with somebody competent.
Not sure who would want to kill him.
Any sane US resident?
Yeah but then a US Made Air Force One would have better odds than a Saudi one, no?
I really hope Trump fucks himself over so monumentally on his quest for personal affirmations that he gets himself killed, or worse.
At this point, with all the crazy unreal stuff happening - tinfoil hat on - I’m not even 100% sure his previous assassination attempt was not staged. The more I think about it, the way the shooter managed to get past security and actually fire shots, how the shooter was being framed as a mad leftist (except not really, it seems), and how Trump already had so many pieces in place before election (Project 2025)…
Sure, I was convinced that the near-missed shot to the ear was impossible to fake - what would be the chances? But how about shooting in the general direction of Trump, faking a shot, while a micro-explosive device from the dark spy budgets gets placed on his ear? Tech is always evolving, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if such a device existed. A ripped ear in exchange for being a quasi-martyr and getting lots of support as “God’s chosen survivor” - not a bad tradeoff. Way too many coincidences along the way, to the point it becomes a pattern. Almost befitting a man who lost once and would go to any lenght to make sure he’d not lose ever again.
Anyways, even if somehow something as crazy as this could even happen - and it being found out - what would be the chances of him actually facing consequences for it? That said, I share your hope anyway.
How do we know he was actually wounded? It could have just been a blood pack.
Or worse 💦💦
Not only that - and the fact that it’s not a free gift at all, since it’ll absolutely come with strings attached and it’ll cost millions upon millions of taxpayer money to retrofit Trump’s personal Airforce 1 - but Trump also stated:
We give free things out. We’ll take one, too
No, Donnie. Not “we”. Other administrations, and indirectly taxpayers give “free” things out, and not even then, because even foreign aid is a form of securing power and influence abroad - an investment, to speak in your corporate terms. You do not give anything for free, being the so-called “transactional President” you are so proud to be - there’s only grift, free lux planes, free weekly golf trips to Trump courses and tax cuts for your class when you’re the one in the Oval Office. Like you love to claim that “We aid Ukraine”, when the previous administration was the only one to actually help, while as soon as you took office you started undermining and weakening Ukraine’s position in the war.
You mean “The US gives out while I cut all forms of aid and reinforce corruption, but I get to benefit from it more than anyone else.” FTFY. Imagine Obama or Biden, who certainly did not grift even nearly at your level, and at least did their jobs even if imperfectly, going “We give things out, so we’ll get some as well”, as they accepted millions-worthy gifts for their personal use during and after their terms.
Not american, btw, but I know the way I wrote might lead some to that conclusion. Not my intent to lead anyone to wrong assumptions.
Coming soon on a streaming service near you: Pee pee tape 2025 - miles high edition; Honey I shrink the mushroom head in Mario Kart; Agent Orange, Remastered; My Big Fat *ss McDonald’s
Oh come on now… does Trump ever say anything important?
Haha…. Hahahahaha…… hahahaha…… ha
😭
Sure. But AF1 is also supposed to be able to survive a nuclear steike/EMP.
So the article says. What of it?
Good. Idiot.
