Another unexpected event occurred in the American military industry, reports The New York Times. It became known that the Pentagon redirected $934 million, which was initially intended for modernizing nuclear warhead-carrying missiles, to fully refurbish a Boeing 747-8 aircraft that was gifted to U.S. President Donald Trump by Qatar.
The publication notes that the price of this liner is approximately $400 million. It will take several years to turn the plane into a presidential aircraft. At the same time, U.S. presidential administration representatives confirmed that these funds are being drawn directly from the budget allocated for nuclear weapons modernization.
It is not yet clear whether all the funds earmarked for repair and refurbishment will be fully spent. However, The Washington Post emphasizes that equipping the aircraft according to all requirements, that is, turning it into a “flying palace”, may cost about $1.5 billion.
Additionally, ABC News had previously reported that the Qatari royal family planned to present such a plane to the U.S. leader. It is especially noteworthy that this liner has been stored for the past month at the San Antonio International Airport in Texas, writes The Washington Post.
Final conclusion: The Pentagon's decision to spend billions intended for nuclear weapons renewal on a presidential aircraft is causing serious debate both in the U.S. and internationally. This situation raises new questions about the priorities of American defense policy and public finance. What consequences such decisions may have will always remain under public scrutiny.
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