To: Red Badger
Absolutely amazing . I have to assume that the bridge 747 is not as capable as the new Boeing 747s but is a step up from the current fleet
2 posted on
05/02/2026 8:13:18 PM PDT by
rdcbn1
(..when poets buy guns, tourist season is over................Walter R. Mead)
To: rdcbn1
The bridge aircraft is a Boeing 747-8i that was originally gifted by Qatar and then modified at L3Harris facilities in Waco, Texas. It has been treated as an interim presidential-airlift solution, giving the Air Force a newer 747-8i platform while the formal VC-25B replacement program continues through its longer schedule. After modification work and flight testing, the aircraft moved into paint ahead of expected summer service.
3 posted on
05/02/2026 8:15:24 PM PDT by
Red Badger
(Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
To: rdcbn1
Absolutely amazing . I have to assume that the bridge 747 is not as capable as the new Boeing 747s but is a step up from the current fleet
It lacks in-flight refueling and much of the defensive capabilities the next gen 8i's have. I suspect we won't see it in use abroad.
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