President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews that the Qatari government donated last year and that will serve as the new Air Force One.
The jet is valued at about $400 million, and Trump said, "This is considered the world's most luxurious plane."
The U.S. Air Force said it finished government modifications and that the aircraft will begin commissioning flights, a "final exam" to test the changes before it is used to transport the president.
The service said modifications included upgrades in security, mission communications, logistics support and advanced technology and that any potential threats from the previously owned aircraft have been "neutralised."
The Air Force said the plane has received a "new red, white, and blue livery" and that the "interior layout [was] minimally changed," prioritizing operational readiness over aesthetics.
The Air Force said the jet will be used on an interim basis until Boeing delivers two VC-25B jets meant for longer-term presidential use, which have faced production delays.
When the donation was revealed last year it drew backlash from both sides of the aisle and from some Trump allies; critics argued the gift posed a conflict of interest and may be unconstitutional, while the White House insisted accepting the aircraft was legal and pledged the plane would be donated to Trump's presidential library once he leaves office.
The Air Force said it leased a 747-8 last year so pilots and maintenance crews could begin training and that the training mission included the purchase of a 747-8 previously flown by Lufthansa; taxpayers paid for a full three-dimensional mock-up of the interior for familiarization, and the secretary of the Air Force told a House panel last year that the retrofitting price tag would be "probably less than $400 million."
The plane will replace the military-grade 747-2 that has served presidents for more than 30 years; White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X, "'Well done, good and faithful servant'" alongside a photo of the older plane, and an Air Force spokesperson said the older jets "will soon join the active executive airlift fleet."
Trump descended the stairs inside a specially constructed hangar and praised the aircraft's finish, saying, "The workmanship of this plane is when you see it, you won't believe it" and, "Actually, the quality of woods, the quality of the materials, the quality of the engines - these engines are the finest, they're the best in the world, nothing like it," and he added, "It's really an honour," and, "And I want to thank the Emir of Qatar." He also said the jet will lead a massive flyover of Washington on July 4, the nation's 250th birthday.