German carrier Lufthansa will part with four of its Boeing 747s next year, a move that might seem logical given the advanced age of its remaining eight 747‑400s.
However, the airline will also part with two of its 19 Boeing 747‑8Is, which will be sold to the U.S. government. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has confirmed the information, noting that since the model is no longer in production, it was important to establish an overall training and support strategy for its future 747‑8I fleet.
The passenger variant of the 747‑8 has long attracted the interest of the Pentagon, with two major modification programs currently underway for the USAF. The first program is, of course, the successor to the VC‑25A Air Force One, based on two 747‑8I airframes originally built for Transaero. The second involves the replacement of the E‑4B fleet, with five aircraft purchased last year by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) from Korean Air as part of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program.
The United States also accepted a Boeing 747‑8I gifted by Qatar Amiri Flight last year, though its intended role remains unclear, possibly as an interim presidential aircraft. The VC‑25B program, which will succeed the current VC‑25A, has recently encountered another delay, with the first delivery now expected no earlier than mid‑2028.
The two Lufthansa 747‑8Is to be sold are registered D‑ABYD and D‑ABYG, delivered in 2012 and 2013 respectively. It’s safe to say that the offer made for these two aircraft was simply too good to refuse.
One aircraft will be kept airworthy and used for pilot and maintenance crew training to support the presidential fleet. The other will be dismantled to serve as a source of spare parts.
