Boeing announced the highly anticipated freighter variant of its new flagship 777X jet with a Qatar Airways deal that could be over $20 billion

• Boeing has debuted the 777-8 Freighter, the latest addition to its new 777X family.
• The more fuel-efficient cargo jet will have a 118-tonne payload capacity and a 4,410 nautical-mile range.

The upcoming Boeing 777X family just got a bit bigger: the company debuted the 777-8 Freighter varient on Monday.

The Boeing 777-8 marks the 777X's highly anticipated expansion into cargo delivery as an alternative to the 777 Freighter and a replacement to the now-retired Boeing 747-400 Freighter.

Like its 777X passenger aircraft counterpart, the 777-8 Freighter will be the industry's largest twin-engine cargo jet, according to Boeing. The more fuel-efficient aircraft will have a 118-tonne payload capacity and a 4,410 nautical-miles range, rivaling its 747-400 predecessor and its Airbus 350 Freighter competitor.

And Boeing already has its first customer lined up: Qatar Airways, which ordered 34 777-8 Freighters with the option for an additional 16. It's a deal that could be worth over $20 billion and the aircraft manufacturing giant's biggest cargo jet commitment to date.

"With global supply chains under pressure and high demand for e-commerce, the performance and capabilities of the fleet is more important than ever," Stan Deal, CEO and president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a statement. Deliveries for the 777-8 Freighter will begin in 2027.

Qatar also ordered two Boeing 777 Freighters and agreed to an additional up to 50 737-10 MAX jets, creating a total order that could be worth around $34 billion at list prices. Airlines rarely pay sticker price, however.

The flagship Boeing 777X has been in high demand as a cargo carrier, private jet, and commercial aircraft since its debut. Particularly the cargo variant has been highly anticipated as the supply chain crisis continues to put a spotlight on air cargo.

Companies like Emirates and Lufthansa have already placed a combined over 330 orders for the aircraft, and deliveries of the 777-9 passenger jet will begin in late 2023.