Seattle ? All Nippon Airways Co. of Japan has ordered 45 small-sized jets from the Boeing Co. as part of a purchase plan announced in April, the two companies announced Monday.

The Tokyo company said Monday that it was ordering the single-aisle, 142-seat 737-700s with delivery starting in December 2005.

The catalogue value of each jet is $50 million but in large orders there is usually a substantial discount.

The single-seating-class airplanes, to be used on ANA’s domestic and regional flights, will be equipped with CFM56-7 engines, produced by a joint venture of General Electric and Snecma of France, a Boeing statement said.

ANA will discontinue using its 737-400, 737-500 and Airbus-made A320 jets and begin using the 737-700s with the start of deliveries in the year beginning April 2005. Boeing will deliver seven jets a year, ANA said.

The airline expects annual savings of about $50 million by switching to the new models.

In Kansas, Boeing is the state’s largest private employer.