President Donald Trump officially unveiled the new Air Force One, an ex-Qatari Boeing 747-8i, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The $400 million aircraft, formally designated the VC-25B “Bridge”, has completed test flights and is beginning commissioning flights before ferrying the president for its first official trips next month.
Here are the key details about the highly anticipated presidential transport:
The “Bridge” Solution
- The Reason: Trump requested the aircraft directly from the Emir of Qatar after facing continuous delays and escalating costs with Boeing’s official VC-25B program, which is not expected to be operational until 2028.
- Current Status: Following a fresh red, white, and navy blue paint job and military-grade telecommunication upgrades via L3Harris Technologies, the aircraft was delivered to the Presidential Airlift Group for its “final exam”—a series of commissioning flights to test its systems and capabilities.
A Look at the Aircraft
- Exterior & Design: The signature robin’s egg blue of the older presidential planes has been replaced by a bold red, white, and dark blue livery. The tail features a wavy American flag, and the side features the Presidential Seal.
- Interiors: To keep the plane on a fast-track delivery schedule, the Air Force minimally altered the pre-existing VVIP interior from its time with the Qatari Amiri Flight, meaning much of its luxury seating and lounge spaces remain intact.
- Next Stops: Trump announced he will be utilizing the jet for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, and it is expected to do a flyover during the July 4 celebrations.
