On Sunday, December 11, Boeing (IW500/9) Commercial Airplanes confirmed details of its long-anticipated sale to Iran Air, the flag carrier of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The jet builder will supply a total of 80 jets — 50 737 MAX 8s, 15 777-300ERs, and 15 777-9s — the total value of which it estimated at $16.6 billion. The first aircraft are due to be delivered in 2018.
The 737 MAX is the latest version of Boeing’s narrow-body passenger jet series, the first model of which is due to make its commercial debut in 2017. The redesigned 737 is powered by two CFM International LEAP-1B engines, and incorporates multiple material selections and aerodynamic designs to achieve fuel efficiency and performance reliability for the operators.
The 777 is a wide-body, long-range jet series. The 777-300ER is the current model, of which more than 800 have been ordered to-date, Boeing noted.
The 777X is a redesigned version set to debut in 2020; it will be powered by the GE Aviation GE9X engines, also in development, and various lightweight materials and technologies, as established by Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner series.
The sale was made possible once the trade sanctions imposed against Iran in connection with its nuclear weapons development program were lifted earlier this year.
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