Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on September 1, 2025, that it had completed the first ever passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion of a Boeing 777 aircraft.
The result is one of the largest freighter aircraft in operation, capable of carrying a payload of 100 tons. After the conversion process, this aircraft will receive the designation B777-300ERSF, in reference to the B777 version it is based on.
The aircraft has also obtained the first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for this type of aircraft from both the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI).
AerCap is the launch customer and partner of the B777 P2F program. The leasing giant will lease the first converted aircraft to US-based air cargo operator Kalitta Air.
In a statement announcing the successful completion of the project, Yaacov Berkovitz, Executive VP and General Manager of IAI’s Aviation Group, said: “This milestone sets a new standard in air cargo, delivering a unique combination of high payload capacity, volume and operational efficiency. The Boeing 777 was developed to meet the evolving needs of the cargo industry, and we believe it will become the preferred choice for international operators.”
The B777 P2F is seen as a potential replacement for the aging B747 fleets currently in service with air cargo operators.
While IAI is the first to complete and certify a P2F conversion of a Boeing 777, other companies are expected to follow suit.
In July 2025, for example, US-based Mammoth Freighters announced it was nearing the final stages of its own B777-300ER P2F program, which is being conducted in partnership with AviaAM Leasing, part of the Avia Solutions Group.
Also in the US, Kansas Modification Center (KMC) is pursuing certification for its own B777 P2F project. The Wichita-based firm is considering the set-up of facilities capable of conducting the P2F process for B777 aircraft in both Morocco and Thailand, with local partners.