US unveils interim Air Force One VC-25B “Bridge” from Qatar gift

President Donald Trump formally commissioned the VC-25B “Bridge” at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, designating it as a temporary Air Force One. The aircraft is a Boeing 747‑8 that previously served the Qatar royal family and was gifted to the United States. It has been rapidly modified with military‑grade communications, encrypted command links, and infrared missile‑countermeasure systems, but it does not include aerial refueling capability. The conversion cost is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars and the plane will serve while Boeing completes the new VC‑25B fleet expected around 2028. The interim jet will transport the president for official trips, including crisis‑command missions, and replaces the aging VC‑25A fleet for the near term.