Deal Reportedly Valued At $1.2 Billion

FedEx Corp. is set to acquire six Boeing 767 Freighters as part of a fleet modernization effort.

Bloomberg Technology reports that the aircraft, valued at $1.2 billion at list prices, will be delivered to the delivery company in 2019 and 2020. A FedEx spokesman said that the planes are part of a 50-jet deal signed nearly a year ago.

The 767 has seen something of a resurgence as a freighter after airlines started shifting to Boeing's Dreamliner or the Airbus A330 for long-haul routes. Boeing has repurposed the 767 as a tanker for the U.S. Air Force, and Amazon will use the 767 to get its fledgling air cargo service off the ground.

Amazon will lease a total of 40 767-300s from Air Transport Services Group for its new cargo division that it hopes will reduce its reliance on established companies like FedEx and UPS.

Boeing is currently making two 767s a month, according to the report. It is working through some issues with the KC-46A tanker variant, but hopes to increase output to 2.5 planes per month next year to accommodate the FedEx order.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.boeing.com