The 777-8 Freighter shares the same lightweight wing design of the 777X family, with its composite spar made of over 400 miles (644 km) of carbon tape cured in a specially built autoclave. In combination with its pair of GE9X high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines, which put out about 100,000 lb of thrust each and are 10 percent more efficient than their predecessor, the aircraft has a range of 4,410 nm (5,070 miles, 8,167 km) and a structural payload of 118 tonnes.

Boeing
“We are delighted to launch Boeing’s next great cargo airplane – the 777-8 Freighter – with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s largest cargo carriers and our partner since the airline began operations 25 years ago,” said Deal. “Our team is ready to create an airplane that will serve them well for many decades. Qatar Airways’ selection of the efficient 777-8 Freighter is a testament to our commitment to provide freighters with market-leading capacity, reliability and efficiency.

“We are proud that Boeing provides over 90 percent of the world’s dedicated freighter capacity. With global supply chains under pressure and high demand for e-commerce, the performance and capabilities of the fleet is more important than ever.”

Being built at Boeing’s Everett, Washington facility, the first 777-8 Freighter is scheduled for delivery in 2027.