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 (SNC) over the sale of five Boeing 747-8s. SNC 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.
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[@jeffreydeeds9225]

Yesssss! This will ensure that the queen of the skies will soldier on for another 3 or 4 decades or more alongside the new Air Force 1 747-8s. Woot woot

[@nntflow7058]

One of their smartest moves.

[@cdl0]

The 747-200s presently in service are practically brand-new compared with the B52s used by the USAF!

[@F22raptor46]

The 747-8I is already so damn rare though, I wish Boeing had just made brand new ones from their plant

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

2036?!? Does that mean the current E-4 fleet will remain active till then?

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Yes

[@JAMESWUERTELE]

They screwed up there, they should have bought new airframes when they were still being built.

[@d.b.cooper1]

Boeing wouldn’t have been willing to sell them under usual militarily contract terms. They’ve already lost loads of money on contracts.

[@mikkojk83]

With more and more 747's being retired and the production line has been closed, will there even be enough spare parts sustain the planned career of the new SAOC and Air Force One?

[@davidkavanagh189]

Yes

[@doujinflip]

There are boneyard airports full of retired planes to pull parts from. The 747 was common enough to give quite long wings for the ones still flying.

[@cskvision]

2036? More like 2040 at the earliest. New AF1 jets are delayed and over budget. And these ones will be to. Par for the course.

[@christianwood7516]

Which airframes? Will it include HL7644, the last passenger 747 ever made?

[@kylebeatty3466]

For nostalgia reasons, I love seeing new life for the 747 ( The Queen ). However, since the 747 is no longer in production, isn't the airforce asking for spare parts and maintenance problems?

[@davidkavanagh189]

Boeing will be supporting the 748 for many years to come and it shares some more vital parts with the 787 too.

[@checkarpeat]

In addition governments don’t care about the taxpayers money ;)

[@pirinikisigner435]

Guys i did the math. When Korean air gets their 27 airbus a350k and 6 a350-900 they will have 6948 extra seats. the 33 a350s can hold 10260 and the 9 747s hold 3312 passangers. but i wish they would keep the 747s their so beautiful and iconic

[@Tap63782]

Hi

[@mynamesdeekay]

Smart move by Korean Air. Sell them whilst they still have value.

[@talaelmakki9094]

Oh i am quite early wow

[@sainnt]

Boeing didn't want to get screwed on another government deal. Smart move.

[@Aviation_12]

well rip KAL 747 at JFK

[@Wannes_]

Things have gone pretty sour when the USAF needs to buy second-hand planes for the most vital strategic roles

[@DavidJohnson-yy4de]

It makes financial sense. The 747 isn’t in production anymore

[@HopSkipRun22]

Yeh you can you dont know what your talking about. These jets are no longer in production and the USAF has access to literally every oem aspect of it. From Boeing to the engine manufacturer to avionics . How else do you recommend they get them? The current airframes are hitting 50 years old. I would like to think the USAF knows better than some random on youtube 😂

[@B4byjesus1]

There is no 4 engine plane in production, that's why they opt for the used ones coz they're the only ones available

[@Wannes_]

@@B4byjesus1 There were when they started looking for replacements

[@craigj6277]

I would think these are fairly high time airframes already.

[@N911GT2]

2036 those planes will be so outdated by then. 😂

[@cartoonaviationtv5258]

D’oh!

[@well-blazeredman6187]

Sticking with my view that modifying new-build KC-46s or young C-17s might have been good options.

[@get2dachoppa249]

Right! USAF could have hired the same company that modified the C-17 into the CXD-23 for S.H.I.E.L.D, complete with engines 3 & 4 on the tailplanes…

[@Sh4wnN1c]

Second

[@chiagozienjoku7198]

First

[@87solarsky]

2036... It won't happen😂

[@aerohk]

Korean Air could have sold them for more. There aren't many 747-8 around.

[@doujinflip]

Or KAL would like the revenue and savings to help complete its upcoming buyout of Asiana

[@kevinj2412]

Just more of our wasted money and for what, to fly around when the rest of the world and people are dead.

[@canadianaviator]

Korea 😂😂
Why the commies?

[@45searay]

Waste of tax payer money

[@davestevens4193]

Until the SHTF