Qatar’s “Gift” is a Security Nightmare

While the administration has accepted Trump Force One, that doesn’t mean the president can actually use it.

This stems from Boeing’s ridiculous delays in delivering two 747s that the government ordered years ago that now won’t be delivered until 2027 at the earliest.

Here are a few of the things that have been revealed, that likely will need to be done to the Qatari jet before it can be used by whoever is the president at the time.

The hull of the current planes are known to be armored, at least, 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.

Then comes 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 the medical suite would need to be installed.

Next you would have to rip it apart looking for PASSIVE bugs – ones that don’t transmit until activated.

Of course all the furniture would need to be replaced – that would be cheaper than tearing it all apart looking for bugs and putting it back together.

How much will all of this cost you and me? The government isn’t saying?

How long will it take to do? Some people are estimating not until 2030.

And then, of course, if the government donates this plane to the president after his term, you have to undo a lot of this.

Cost has to be in the hundreds of millions.

For a free plane.

Credit: The Register

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