U.S. President Donald Trump, dissatisfied with the delay in the delivery of Boeing's Air Force One (the presidential aircraft), has decided to receive a Boeing 747-8 as a gift from the Qatari royal family. The White House stated that it will modify the aircraft to meet security standards, but it is widely expected that the Qatari royal family's Boeing will find it difficult to replace the existing Air Force One.

On Feb. 15, the Boeing 747-8 owned by Qatar is parked in West Palm Beach, Florida (local time). At the time, President Trump tours this aircraft. / Courtesy of Reuters-Yonhap

Reuters reported, citing aviation experts, that "there is a possibility the Boeing aircraft provided by Qatar to President Trump will require fighter escort during flight, and unless costly security enhancements are made, it may only be able to fly within the United States." This suggests that it is practically difficult to operate the Qatari royal family's aircraft as freely as Air Force One.

The reason it is difficult for the Qatari aircraft to replace the existing Air Force One lies in the aircraft's uniqueness. Air Force One is designed for the president to survive in all situations, including nuclear war. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Defense department, noted that "the capability of Air Force One to withstand a nuclear blast is built into the aircraft's wiring and systems from the outset and cannot be added later."

For this reason, there is a high likelihood that President Trump will need fighter escort from the U.S. Air Force to use the Qatari Boeing, which lacks its own missile defense capabilities. The current Air Force One is equipped with various advanced defense systems, such as flares, electronic countermeasures, and infrared detection systems, which allow it to operate without fighter escort unless there are specific security threats like the 9/11 attacks.

Richard Aboulafia, executive vice president of the aerospace consulting firm Aerodynamic Advisory, stated that "the Qatari aircraft lacks the electronic warfare and missile warning systems and other equipment related to survival that are on Air Force One, so it may require (fighter) escort," adding that "it cannot guarantee the level of security in international airspace or at foreign airports, making it likely that flights outside the U.S. will be restricted."

The modification work to enhance the security level of the Qatari Boeing will also require a lot of time and expense. Earlier, U.S. NBC News and others quoted experts estimating the value of the Qatari Boeing at about $400 million (about 560 billion won), but reported that it could cost more than three times that amount to modify the aircraft. This is because the existing aircraft would need to be disassembled down to its frame and new communication and security equipment built, meaning the modification period could take several months to several years.

The White House plans to modify the aircraft gifted from Qatar through U.S. defense contractor L3 Harris. For the aircraft to be used as a presidential aircraft, space must be provided not only for communication and security and missile defense systems but also for the president, staff, security personnel, medical staff, and journalists. The current Air Force One used by President Trump is a Boeing 757 model that is over 30 years old and requires frequent maintenance, making the introduction of a replacement aircraft urgently needed.