The current technology relates to the construction, characterization and immunogenicity of modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) recombinant viruses. The MVA double recombinant viruses express modified/truncated HIV-1 Env and mutated HIV Gag Pol under the control of vaccinia virus early/late promoters. This technology describes the MVA double recombinant viruses made by homologous recombination of single MVA recombinants, one expressing Env and one expressing Gag Pol. These single MVA recombinants are made using a transiently expressed GFP marker that is deleted in the final viruses. Two recombinant MVA viruses (MVA 65A/G and MVA 62B) made by this technology have been shown to produce HIV virus-like-particles that are immunogenic in mice. In addition, these two recombinant MVA viruses demonstrate stability through repeated passage of the LVD Seed Stock. This invention provides safe and stable immunogenic clade A/G and clade B vectors that may be tested as an AIDS vaccine candidate. Therefore, it is a promising technology to develop prophylactic and therapeutic AIDS vaccines for U.S. and for West Africa, particularly when used in combination with a DNA vaccine.