An RAF warplane is being repainted so Boris Johnson can fly around the world in the colours of the Union Flag.
The makeover of the grey A330 Voyager will cost £900,000 but officials insist it will help the PM to represent the UK on the world stage.
Therefuelling aircraft is undergoing a paint job to transform it from camouflaged grey, in a move which sounded like something "from Austin Powers", according to a source.
The secret makeover will see the rear of its fuselage and tail fin sprayed red, white and blue – perhaps making it resemble a British Airways plane.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the paint job would enable the Prime Minister to "better represent the UK around the world with national branding while also retaining its military air-to-air refuelling capability."
He said the repainting job will cost £900,000.
This "incorporates the cost of design to promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane’s vital military role."
A source told Sky News: "Boris doesn't like it being grey. He is getting it painted up.”
Mr Johnson has previously criticised the plane's livery, demanding to know: “Why is it grey?”
He apparently did not realise it had to be that colour so that when it is carrying out military duties above war zones it is more difficult for enemies to pick out in the sky.
One source said the paint job sounded like something "from Austin Powers".
The twin-engined Voyager jet is earmarked for use by the PM, Foreign Secretary and senior members of the Royal Family.
Bought by the air force as a troop carrier and air tanker, it underwent a £10million makeover in 2016 so it could be used by then PM David Cameron.
However, he only managed one return flight on the plane, to a NATO summit in Warsaw.
Theresa May used the aircraft to fly to summits in destinations including New York, Argentina and the Middle East.
A spokesman for the Royal Air Force said: "An RAF Voyager is currently in Cambridgeshire for pre-planned works.”
