Korean Air Sells 5 Boeing 747s To US Air Force Contractor For New $13 Billion Doomsday Plane Program

Korean Air has signed a deal with Nevada-based defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp over the sale of five Boeing 747-8s. The latter company was recently awarded a $13 billion contract to develop the next Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), or “Doomsday Plane”, for the United States Air Force (USAF).

Korean Air 747s to become Doomsday Planes

As per a Reuters report, the Korean carrier will sell off five of its Boeing 747-8 widebodies for $674 million, amounting to around $135 million per airframe. The sale is expected to be completed by September 2025 and will leave the carrier with just four 747-8 passenger aircraft as it continues its fleet modernization efforts. In an SEC filing, Korean Air SEC said the move aligned with its long-term strategy to divest older aircraft in favor of next-generation jets. This sale comes just weeks after the carrier confirmed a deal for 33 Airbus A350s valued at $13.7 billion.

The four-engined 747s will eventually replace the USAF’s Boeing E-4B Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP) aircraft, which uses a modified Boeing 747-200B airframe. Under its contract with the USAF, Sierra Nevada is expected to complete works by 2036, with the Air Force making an immediate $59 million contribution to begin development and testing.

Halving the 747 fleet

With the aviation industry increasingly opting for more efficient twin-engine long-haul aircraft, Korean Air will slash its Boeing 747 passenger fleet in half over the next 18 months. The Korean airline currently operates nine 747-8I passenger jets seating up to 368 passengers in a three-class layout – six in first class, 48 in business, and 314 in economy – and is one of just three carriers to operate the 747-8 as a passenger aircraft, along with Air China and Lufthansa.

Photo: Rebius | Shutterstock

Its oldest 747-8I has not yet turned nine years old, while Korean Air also operates 11 Boeing 747 freighters as part of its sizable cargo business. It remains to be seen if this will perhaps convince the airline to keep hold of its Airbus A380 fleet for a while longer, particularly as just days ago one of its A380s was spotted being dismantled.

New Doomsday Planes by mid-2030s

The USAF’s Doomsday fleet was developed to survive a nuclear attack and give leaders an operational command center in the air. It currently has four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft – also known as National Airborne Operations Centers – at its disposal for this purpose but aims to replace them in the next 12 years.

Photo: US Air Force

Last month, Sierra Nevada was awarded a $13 billion contract to replace the USAF’s E-4B fleet. According to Defense News, the contract will entail both the development and production of the aircraft and its associated ground systems. The Air Force has previously stated the new Doomsday plane will implement a modular approach to accommodate ever-changing equipment and technological capabilities.

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