Qatar-Donated Air Force One Heads Back to Texas for Security Upgrades

After a rushed 10-month conversion, the Qatar-donated 747 serving as interim Air Force One is headed to a Texas facility for a four-week retrofit to add modular defensive systems (missile-warning sensors, DIRCM/infrared countermeasures, chaff and flare dispensers) to close a survivability gap. The upgrade aims to improve protection, but the aircraft is not yet at the full defensive standard of the legacy VC-25A fleet, while Boeing’s next-generation VC-25B isn’t due until mid-2028, indicating this is a staged modernization rather than a complete rebuild.