President Trump arrives in the UK accompanied by a flotilla of US military aircraft
September 17, 2025
The 48-hour state visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK this week will see another visit of Air Force One to the UK. Arriving at London Stansted Airport (STN) on the evening of Tuesday, September 16, the president, along with his wife, was quickly whisked away by a US military helicopter as security officials guarded every inch of the airfield’s boundary.
The president was travelling on board Air Force One, the aircraft ubiquitous with carrying the sitting US president.
The aircraft departed from Andrews Air Force Base in Virginia at around 15:00 UK time, landing at Stansted Airport at around 21:10. The flight was operated by the aircraft with tail number 92-9000 and US Air Force (USAF) fleet number 29000. This is the same plane that brought Trump to the UK for his last state visit in 2019.
What is Air Force One?
Air Force One is actually a VC-25B, a heavily converted Boeing 747-200 that has been in use for such duties since December 1990.
According to Planespotters.net, the airframe actually performed its first flight in October 1987 (before undergoing three years of modifications), making this aircraft 37.9 years old. It is one of two such examples used for presidential duties, with sistership 82-8000 being the other, with 38.3 years on the clock.
A common mistake made by many is that the radio call sign “Air Force One” relates to the VC-25s. However, it is used when the president is aboard any USAF aircraft, making it a temporary designation rather than a permanent nomenclature for the aircraft itself.
Therefore, when either of the two VC-25As is not carrying the president, it would use a more standard USAF flight callsign.
Many other US military aircraft are visiting the UK this week
The appearance of Air Force One always draws a crowd of aviation enthusiasts and curious bystanders alike wherever it appears. This arrival of the aircraft at Stansted was no exception, with hundreds gathered to watch the aircraft land at the airport itself, while thousands of others watched on a live stream.
Yet, unknown to many was the battalion of aircraft movements that had preceded this presidential visit. Over the week leading up to the arrival of the President’s blue and silver VC-25, there was a steady stream of other aircraft types visiting various airfields across southern UK.
While most were tasked to bring in “equipment” in support of the state visit, others had more specific missions.
Aerospace Global News followed the aviation events leading up to the arrival of the President at Stansted, and details what arrived, when, and where it landed, and, where possible, explained the purpose of its visit.
Multiple supporting aircraft of various types
First to arrive at RAF Northolt (located just a few miles from London Heathrow Airport) on Thursday, 11 September, inside two Boeing C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft of the USAF was an identical pair of US Marine Corps VH-3D ‘Sea King’ helicopters.
While one of these will be used to transport President Trump around while he is in the UK (using radio callsign ‘Marine One’), the other is used purely as a backup aircraft should the primary aircraft suffer a technical issue.
Interestingly, these aircraft had their rotors and tails removed for loading onto the C-17s, to be rebuilt once they arrived in the UK.
Next to arrive at RAF Northolt on Saturday, 13 September were six US Army CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopters. Operated by the First Armoured Division ‘Old Ironsides’ of the US Army, the aircraft arrived in a six-ship formation from their base in Germany.
Here in support of the state visit, the six helicopters have been based at the RAF airbase since arriving.
With the rotary wing contingent already in the UK, the next arrivals saw five more C-17s land at Stansted itself on Sunday, 14 September.
Said to be bringing in support equipment for the visit (possibly including the presidential limousine known as ‘The Beast’), each aircraft was emptied and later departed back to their respective bases in the US.
@Godfrey_Bloom @garethicke @JaymieIcke @davidkurten @RealCarlVernon @WTAFRich A total of 5 C17's landed at Stansted yesterday and offloaded Trumps motorcade which was then pictured filling up at a local garage but remember we are expected to follow the bullshit net zero rules. pic.twitter.com/dSiY17OXDn
— 🇬🇧 Grahame 🇬🇧 (@thebattler180) September 15, 2025
Almost the last appearance of a US military aircraft ahead of the arrival of Air Force One was on the evening of Monday, 15 September.
At RAF Fairford in Oxfordshire, a sole USAF C-32 (a military version of the Boeing 757-200) touched down at dusk, although what exactly its mission was and what or whom was on board has not been disclosed.
Last night, a Boeing C-32 arrived at RAF Fairford to support @POTUS Donald Trump's trip to the United Kingdom.
— CobraEmergency (@CobraEmergency) September 16, 2025
Full videos on YouTube: https://t.co/3f1AHpmyEV
Well spotted by @EISNspotter https://t.co/NUjuKeJ0L8 pic.twitter.com/syjOZ25pM4
With a reception planned between the US president and the UK Prime Minister for Thursday, 18 September at Chequers (the country estate in Oxfordshire used by any sitting UK government), it may have had a link to that, given the proximity of RAF Fairford to the property.
The arrival of Air Force One in the UK
On arrival day itself (Tuesday, September 16), having departed the Washington area, Air Force One tracked over the Atlantic and headed across the Republic of Ireland before making its approach into runway 22 at Stansted.
Earlier, at around 19:00 local time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at Stansted on a C-32, tail number 98-0001, reportedly from attending meetings in Israel.
Commercial traffic continued at the airport until Air Force One arrived in the vicinity, whereby air traffic controllers imposed a temporary no-fly zone.
Air Force One touched down at 21:08 local time and parked on the north side of the airfield, close to the VIP FBO facilities and away from the single passenger terminal at the airport.
With Marine One and the US Army Chinooks, plus a single UK Police helicopter, all in attendance for escort duties, the President was swiftly transported away from Stansted toward Winfield House, the US Ambassador to the UK’s official residence in Regent’s Park, Central London.
Lastly, a second C-32 using callsign Air Force Two arrived at Stansted shortly after Air Force One, finally bringing the five days of spectacular aviation events to a close.
The president’s plane is scheduled to stay at Stansted until Thursday, September 18, when it is due to depart back to Washington at around 17:30 local time.
An excessive or a necessary use of aircraft?
The steady parade of US military aircraft arrivals over the period shows that it takes more than just Air Force One to support a presidential overseas trip.
While environmentalists may be lamenting the amount of aviation fuel being used by all this aviation activity, with worldwide geopolitical tensions raised and the security risk to the US President considered to be ‘high’, some will argue that it takes whatever it takes to keep him safe while on foreign soil.
