WASHINGTON/ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was leaving Turkey aboard an older Air Force One aircraft rather than a recently renovated Qatari-donated jet, an unexpected switch that renewed scrutiny of the costly, fast-tracked retrofit.
The trip to Turkey, the first international travel for the new plane, took place as hostilities escalated with Iran, a country that borders Turkey.
The switch follows months of scrutiny over the luxury gift intended to serve as a temporary replacement while Boeing struggles to deliver long-delayed next-generation Air Force One planes.
Critics questioned the cost, security and pace of the retrofit.
Trump said on Truth Social that he would use an older Air Force One plane "for old time's sake" to fly to RAF Mildenhall in Britain while the new plane stops at the same base so U.S. service members stationed there can tour the aircraft.
The new plane is a Boeing 747 gifted to the United States by Qatar last year and refitted by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies.
Trump, asked if the threat of assassination prompted his decision to change planes for his departure from Turkey, did not answer directly but acknowledged the potential threat.
"I'm number one on the kill list for Iran," he told reporters at a press conference as the summit concluded. "I don't know. I can't tell you that but I don't really care."
'SO THE SOLDIERS CAN SEE IT'
Trump said the plane was traveling to two or three big bases in Europe before returning to the United States "so the soldiers can see it because it's truly magnificent."
The jumbo aircraft has been painted in a red, white, dark blue and gold livery chosen by Trump, marking a departure from the longstanding design used on Air Force One for decades.
The Qatari jet's acceptance had drawn scrutiny. Retrofitting the luxury plane required security upgrades, communications improvements to prevent eavesdropping, and missile defense capabilities, experts said.
Democratic lawmakers estimated the conversion cost more than $1 billion and raised security risks. The upgrades were completed so quickly that some experts expressed concern the plane may not be as secure as the existing Air Force One aircraft.
A second aircraft that can operate as Air Force One is always on standby during presidential trips.
The Air Force's fast-track effort to ready the jet skipped some planned modifications originally envisioned for the next-generation presidential aircraft in order to deliver an interim version sooner.
Officials have said the plane still meets presidential standards, with Air Force Secretary Troy Meink saying the service "meticulously evaluated every requirement" while working to speed up delivery.
The Qatari jet is serving as a bridge aircraft while Boeing works to deliver two purpose-built 747-8s under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018.
That program is now four years behind schedule, with delivery not expected until mid-2028, a delay that could leave Trump without a new, U.S.-built plane before his term ends in January 2029.
Costs on the Boeing program have grown to more than $5 billion, with the company booking billions of dollars in charges tied to the project.
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington, Gram Slattery and Humeyra Pamuk in Ankara, with additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Howard Goller)
