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A chapter in presidential aviation history came to a close this week when President Donald Trump became the final commander in chief to travel aboard one of the iconic Boeing 747-200 aircraft that have served as Air Force One for decades.

The aircraft completed what officials described as its final presidential mission when it transported Trump back to the United States following his trip to Europe earlier this week.

Members of the administration marked the occasion with tributes on social media, celebrating the retirement of one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world.

“Well done, good and faithful servant,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote early Thursday on the social platform X, sharing a picture of the plane. “The Last Ride.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino also honored the aircraft, posting a video and reflecting on his years traveling aboard the presidential jet.

“I have been fortunate to fly around the world on this iconic plane for 5 ½ years — of the 35 years it has been serving the U.S. Presidents…THANK YOU…,” he wrote.

Known within the Air Force as the VC-25A, the aircraft is one of two heavily modified Boeing 747-200s that have carried American presidents around the globe. The aircraft that completed its final mission bears tail number 29000, while a second aircraft, tail number 28000, remains part of the presidential fleet.

The first president to fly aboard aircraft 29000 was President George H.W. Bush in 1990, beginning more than three decades of service at the highest levels of government.

Its retirement comes as the Air Force moves forward with a new generation of presidential aircraft.

Three Boeing 747-800s are currently being prepared for executive transport duties. Among them is a luxury aircraft donated by the government of Qatar, which the Air Force has designated as a VC-25B and informally refers to as a “bridge” aircraft.

Military officials indicated earlier this year that the Qatari jet could enter service as a temporary Air Force One as soon as this summer after completing extensive modifications and testing.

According to defense officials, the aircraft is intended to help ease the burden on the aging presidential fleet while longer-term replacements continue to face delays.

The plane will be used to “relieve pressure on the aging VC-25A fleet,” said Gen. Dale White, the Department of Defense’s direct reporting portfolio manager for critical major weapons systems, in a May statement.

Despite the retirement of one aircraft, Air Force officials emphasized that the remaining VC-25A planes are not disappearing immediately.

An Air Force spokesperson told NBC News last week the “VC-25As will continue to serve in the executive fleet and could still be used by the president as Air Force One.”

The transition to the next generation of presidential aircraft has taken far longer than expected. The two primary replacement aircraft being built by Boeing were originally scheduled to enter service in 2024 but are now not expected to be delivered until sometime in mid-2028.

When the new aircraft eventually arrive, they will feature a dramatically different appearance from the traditional Air Force One design. The familiar light-blue color scheme used for decades will be replaced by a new red, white, gold, and navy-blue livery favored by Trump.

The change will mark not only the arrival of a new presidential fleet but also the end of one of the most recognizable symbols of American leadership in the modern era.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced that it has killed Ahmed Samir Mohammed Washah, a Hamas terrorist operative who allegedly served in the group’s military wing while simultaneously working as a cameraman for the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network.

According to the military, Washah was killed in a precision airstrike in central Gaza alongside two other Hamas operatives. Israeli officials said he had recently been involved in planning and advancing sniper attacks and other terrorist operations against IDF forces operating in the Strip.

The IDF stated that although Washah worked as a journalist and cameraman for Al Jazeera in recent years, he was also an active member of Hamas’s military apparatus and posed an immediate threat to Israeli troops.

Military officials said the strike was carried out specifically because of his recent operational activities and the danger he allegedly presented to forces on the ground. The military described him as the most prominent target among the three terrorists killed in the operation because of his dual role as both a media figure and a Hamas operative.

Washah’s death comes just months after the elimination of his brother, Mohammed Samir Mohammed Washah, whom Israel identified as a senior operative in Hamas’s rocket and weapons-production network.

According to Israeli officials, the younger Washah also operated under the cover of an Al Jazeera journalist while carrying out terrorist activities. He was killed in April during IDF operations targeting threats to Israeli forces.

The latest strike is part of what Israel says is a broader campaign against Hamas operatives who allegedly use journalistic credentials or media positions as cover for terrorist activity.

Israeli officials noted that in recent months the military has targeted and eliminated several Hamas members accused of participating in attacks against Israel, including operatives involved in the October 7 massacre and others allegedly connected to the holding of hostages in Hamas tunnel networks.

The report also renewed criticism of Al Jazeera, which Israeli officials have long accused of maintaining close ties to terrorist organizations operating throughout the region.

In recent months, reports have surfaced alleging contacts between Qatar and Iran that resulted in a reduction of Iranian pressure on Doha in exchange for what critics describe as a softer editorial approach toward Tehran and increased exposure for Iranian officials and spokesmen.

The IDF said forces under Southern Command remain deployed throughout the area in accordance with operational requirements and will continue taking action against any immediate threats to Israeli troops.

Military officials added that the elimination of Washah is one of several recent operations targeting senior Hamas figures as Israel continues its campaign against the terrorist organization.

According to the IDF, recent weeks have seen the elimination of multiple key Hamas operatives, including individuals accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks and the captivity of Israeli hostages. Israeli officials said those operations are part of an ongoing effort to dismantle Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure, eliminate threats emanating from Gaza, and safeguard Israeli civilians.

{Matzav.com}