President Donald Trump says a Boeing 747 8 donated by Qatar could be flying as Air Force One by February 2026, well ahead of the delayed Boeing-built replacements. Speaking with reporters in late July, Trump said the aircraft could be operational "much sooner than the others," referring to the new jets under construction in San Antonio. 

Aviation and defense experts, however, say converting a foreign-owned aircraft to meet the security, communications, and operational requirements of Air Force One is a complex process that could take years without major modifications to those standards, CNN reported. The Qatari jet, previously parked in San Antonio, was flown to Fort Worth Alliance Airport in late June. Reports from local plane spotters say the aircraft left Alliance on Friday en-route to Waco. While commercial aircraft refurbishments can be completed in weeks or months, the work to bring a presidential aircraft to operational readiness involves complete disassembly, installation of classified systems, and thorough security vetting. 

Andrew Hunter, former assistant secretary of the Air Force, told CNN that meeting full Air Force One standards in that timeframe would be "challenging, if not impossible." Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the February goal could be met only if most unique requirements were waived, which would likely limit the aircraft's use to domestic flights. 

The donation agreement between the U.S. and Qatar was signed in early July, though details have not been made public. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has said the retrofit cost will "probably" be under $400 million, with funding expected from reallocated defense program dollars. Meanwhile, Boeing's two new Air Force One jets—ordered under a $3.9 billion contract—are now projected for delivery as early as 2027 following pandemic-related delays and supply chain challenges. 

Experts told CNN that while the Qatari jet could potentially enter service sooner, the modifications required for secure presidential transport are unlikely to be completed without compromising capability.