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The U.S. Air Force stated that both existing VC-25A presidential aircraft will continue operating alongside a new VC-25B Bridge jet. Officials clarified the timeline after social media posts suggested one aircraft was retiring.
The War ZoneThe U.S. Air Force confirmed that both of its VC-25A presidential aircraft will remain in active service for the immediate future. The clarification came after several White House officials posted messages on social media suggesting that one of the jets had completed its final mission.
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An Air Force spokesperson told TWZ that the VC-25B Bridge aircraft will soon join the active executive airlift fleet alongside the VC-25A and C-32 aircraft. The same spokesperson confirmed that both VC-25As will stay in the service’s active executive airlift fleet.
The Air Force responded after posts circulated showing tail number 29000, the VC-25A that carried the president to and from the recent G7 summit in France. ” Dan Scavino, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, posted a separate message thanking the aircraft after flying on it for five and a half years.
Both posts included images or video of the jet and quickly gained widespread attention.
The VC-25B Bridge aircraft, converted from a former Qatari VVIP Boeing 747-8i, is undergoing final modifications and has received its new livery. The Air Force expects the jet to enter service this summer and relieve pressure on the aging VC-25A fleet.
Air Force Gen. Dale White, Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems, previously stated that the Bridge program aims to deliver a bridge capability as soon as possible. The service is also acquiring two fully equipped VC-25Bs from Boeing, with the first delivery scheduled for mid-2028.
The service has also taken delivery of at least one additional 747-8i from Lufthansa to serve as a trainer and spare-parts source. Questions remain about whether the Bridge aircraft can support the full range of Air Force One missions, including electromagnetic-pulse shielding required for operations during a nuclear exchange.
Officials have said the Bridge jet will help ease strain on the existing fleet while the full replacements are completed.
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