Claim
It is one of the world's most advanced aircraft and can defeat a missile attack against it.
“यह दुनिया के सबसे एडवांस्ड विमानों में से एक है और अगर इस विमान पर किसी मिसाइल से हमला हो तो यह उस हमले को भी नाकाम कर सकता है।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The claim conflates the standard purpose-built Air Force One's known defensive countermeasures with the specific interim VC-25B 'Bridge' aircraft — a lightly-modified Qatari-gifted luxury 747-8 that entered service on 1 July 2026. Defense and aviation reporting indicates this particular aircraft lacks a fully integrated self-defence suite, certain missile countermeasures, and EMP shielding present on the regular presidential fleet, and calling a minimally-modified airliner 'one of the world's most advanced aircraft' is an exaggeration. The definitive assertion that it 'can defeat a missile attack against it' is not established and is contradicted by prominent reporting, though exact modifications remain classified, which limits certainty.
Evidence
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_VC-25B_Bridge The new Air Force One is a lightly-modified Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8 luxury jet (interim 'Bridge' aircraft), not a purpose-built advanced platform; the Air Force left the interior largely unchanged and did not disclose which defensive systems were installed or omitted. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.flightglobal.com/archive/2026/07/trump-logs-first-presidential-flight-on-vc-25b-air-force-one-converted-from-qatari-747-8/ Confirms the aircraft entered presidential service on 1 July 2026 (day before the broadcast); reporting notes visible modifications are minimal, with no sign of an integrated self-defence suite. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.defensenews.com/air-warfare/2026/05/04/former-qatari-aircraft-on-track-for-summer-air-force-one-delivery/ Defense News reporting indicates the interim jet lacks certain missile countermeasures and EMP shielding, and that the USAF diverted funds from a missile-defense program to pay for the conversion — undercutting the 'can defeat a missile attack' claim. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://gizmodo.com/how-the-new-qatar-gifted-air-force-one-is-different-from-the-old-ones-2000774856 Explains the interim aircraft does not carry the full hardened defensive suite of the existing VC-25A presidential fleet, contrary to the claim it can neutralize missile attacks. ✓ reachable · archived