The United States Air Force (MC, Washington National) has taken delivery of the VC-25B Bridge aircraft, a Qatari-donated B747-8(BBJ) that will temporarily serve as a presidential aircraft, or 'Air Force One', while the government continues work on refurbishing two B747-8s that are set to replace two ageing B747-200(VC-25A)s currently in service.
The VC-25B Bridge was delivered on June 19, in time for the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations. The date also came five days after President Donald Trump's birthday on June 14, which had been identified in previous reports as a possible delivery target.
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said: "From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission. This effort proves that the US Air Force can move fast without sacrificing quality, security, or reliability."
The aircraft, B747-8(BBJ) msn 37075, was donated by the Qatari government in July 2025. The US government, under the Trump administration, formally accepted the gift the following month. L3Harris Technologies was responsible for refurbishing the four-engined aircraft.
The delivery of the two new VC-25Bs is set to take place in 2028.
