The United Kingdom will purchase $10 billion worth of Boeing planes as part of a new bilateral trade deal between the UK and the United States, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced on Thursday. However, the specifics of the deal were not fully disclosed, and Lutnick indicated that it was a private-sector purchase, leaving the airline involved to reveal further details.
This deal would add to the UK’s already significant backlog with Boeing, which includes 149 planes in total, according to Boeing’s published backlog. The exact type of planes involved in the deal remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether the purchase will consist of firm orders or options. Boeing declined to comment on the deal.
The UK’s current backlog with Boeing consists of 109 planes ordered by airlines and 40 by a leasing company, totaling an estimated value of over $12 billion. Despite the growing demand, Boeing has faced supply chain challenges, which have delayed deliveries. The company is working to ramp up production of its popular 737 MAX jet to 38 per month this year, after experiencing difficulties in 2024 that resulted in a leadership change and a quality crisis.
