The US Air Force has quietly started converting a Boeing 747-8 donated earlier this year by the government of Qatar into a specialized aircraft for executive transport. While the Pentagon has confirmed the handover, much of the scope, cost and contracting arrangements for the conversion project remain classified, fueling political debate in Washington. Publicly, Trump has said that he intends for the aircraft to serve as a future Air Force One, before ultimately being displayed at his presidential library. Despite those statements, the Air Force has avoided discussing the precise role for the aircraft and has provided few details. If the Air Force follows through on Meink’s projected timeline, the converted jet could be ready as soon as 2026, well ahead of the first new VC-25Bs.