Burundi Air Force ferried a Boeing 737 freighter to a Zambian airline. The airforce itself operates a Boeing 727

The Burundi Air Force ferried a Boeing 737-400 aircraft from Thailand to Burundi on behalf of Zambian airline Stabo Air. The Boeing 737-400 freighter, initially using the false registration 9U-BAF displayed at Flightradar24, departed U-Taphao in Thailand and flew to the Burundian capital via several intermediate stops.

A photograph of the aircraft shows it carrying the military registration BAF-4137. The aircraft is painted entirely white, with no titles or other identifying markings. Following its arrival in Burundi, it was registered as 9J-BCA. The construction number is 29202.

Photo via NatthawatC at JetPhotos.

The aircraft has a hard to track history. It was registered 9J-BCA in June 2026 according Planespotters.

Before that the aircraft flew for Kenian Fanjet Express. According Flightradar24 the aircraft flew Nairobi to Entebbe at June 23. Then it did three testflights, the last one at September 10.

It then flew to U-Taphao in Thailand.

On September 25 the aircraft flew from Bujumbura (Burundi) to Lusaka. The operator is Stabo Air. An unknown freight airline which states on the website it flies B747 to Liege and also MD11 flights. If these are operated is not sure.

Why the Burundi Air Force callsign and registration were used for the ferry flight is not known.

Less widely known is that the Burundi Air Force also operates a Boeing 727 freighter, registered BAF-4127. The aircraft was photographed in May 2026 in an all-white colour scheme, but its presence in the fleet had remained largely unnoticed until now.

The 727 carries construction number 21459 and previously operated with, among others, Asia Pacific Airlines as N86425. It later flew as EX-27015 for 3C Cargo, also associated with LLC “Blue Jet Airways KJ”. The aircraft had reportedly been parked in Kenya for an extended period before entering Burundian military service.

Photo: @spyjet2

Update:
At September 26 this article was updated with the info Stabo Air is the operator.