By Trevor Hannekett

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the plane donated by Qatar and now the new presidential aircraft will soon be upgraded, following questions about its safety features.

Trump began traveling on this giant plane on July 1st after accepting it as a gift last year, when intensive efforts began to refurbish the Boeing 747 for use on presidential missions.

But Trump abruptly left the plane during a flight from Turkey to Britain amid escalating tensions with Iran on July 8. He traveled on an older presidential aircraft to London in what he described as a move "for the sake of old memories," but later boarded the new plane to return to the United States.

Trump was asked on Sunday, as he returned from a trip to New Jersey for the World Cup final, whether the plane, which was recently upgraded, lacked missile defense capabilities.

Trump said, "It has great capabilities. But as I understand it, they will send it in a month or so to equip it with maximum capabilities... and it will take about a month."

The US Air Force has not yet responded to a request for comment.

L3 Harris Technologies, a defense contractor, updated the new aircraft, whose red, white, dark blue, and gold colors were chosen by Trump.

This aircraft is intended as a temporary replacement because Boeing is facing difficulties in delivering its next-generation presidential aircraft. Boeing is working to deliver two purpose-built 747-8s under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018, but delivery is currently four years behind schedule and over budget. The two new aircraft are now expected to be delivered in mid-2028.

The upgrades to the aircraft from Qatar were completed so quickly that some experts expressed concern that it might not be as safe as the light blue presidential plane that preceded it. Critics also raised questions about the cost of the gift and whether it was appropriate to accept it.

The New York Times journalists who reported on the security features of the new aircraft were summoned to appear before a grand jury in Manhattan federal court earlier this month. The newspaper has asked the court to halt those summonses.