The Air Force One fleet is getting a makeover at the hands of the First Air Traveler, and just as he's done on the ground, the president is painting over a reminder of the John F. Kennedy administration. Layers of red, white, navy blue and gold are replacing the palette of white and robin's egg blue that dates back to the era of the 35th president, whose short-lived but progressively themed White House was dubbed Camelot in a nod to King Arthur's fabled court.
Some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful people traveled to Switzerland this week, to attend the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos. That meant some of the world's fanciest aircraft descended on nearby airports, too. Business Insider has been tracking the private jets and government aircraft that arrived there this week. On Monday alone, there were around 160 private jet arrivals from over 40 countries spread across five continents.
The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026. The air force added that it has accepted the Qatari gift which will be used for executive airlift. Described as a flying palace, the estimated $400m gift to Trump last year drew widespread bipartisan backlash, with lawmakers voicing ethical concerns over Qatar's motives and questioning the 13-year-old plane's security measures.
With a fleet of planes, helicopters, and vehicles designed especially for the US president's use, the leader of the free world travels in style. While aesthetics are certainly a consideration when designing official planes or limousines, presidential transportation prioritizes safety and functionality. With features that allow the president to lead the country and communicate securely while in transit, every plane, helicopter, or car becomes a moving Oval Office.
"Air superiority was something that the Air Force has been a big part of since its inception. You still see that today, and that's one of the things that you will see all the way through," Prichard said. "The same with global reach - making sure that the aircraft that we have can go any place, anytime, right now. All of the aircraft that you see on display here will do that."
The costs of modifying a luxury jet gifted by Qatar to the Trump administration to serve as an interim Air Force One for the president could be less than expected, the US Air Force secretary said this week.
