Chicago: The aviation conglomerate announced on Monday the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, stating that the deal underscores its commitment to aviation safety and airplane quality while strengthening commercial production and supply chain stability.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Kelly Ortberg, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Company, remarked, "This is a pivotal moment in Boeing's history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations and establish Spirit Defense." Ortberg emphasized the company's focus on maintaining stability to continue delivering high-quality airplanes, differentiated services, and advanced defense capabilities for customers and the industry.
Boeing's acquisition includes all of Spirit AeroSystems' Boeing-related commercial operations, covering fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner. It also encompasses commercially procured fuselages for the P-8 and KC-46, bringing Boeing's largest supplier of spare parts in-house and expanding its global maintenance, repair, and overhaul services footprint. Additionally, it adds to Boeing's rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio with Spirit's aftermarket businesses.
Spirit Defense will continue to operate as an independent supplier to the defense industry, ensuring uninterrupted support for its customers. It will function as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, aligning for financial reporting and select enterprise functional and site support while maintaining independent governance and operations.
Moreover, portions of Spirit AeroSystems' operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, have been acquired by Boeing. The Belfast site will operate as an independent subsidiary branded as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company. Spirit AeroSystems' commercial and aftermarket operations in Wichita, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as Spirit's Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick, Scotland, will integrate into Boeing, with approximately 15,000 teammates across these sites becoming part of Boeing.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly commented on the acquisition, stating, "Kansas' aviation expertise reaches far beyond our borders. We help manufacture the aircraft the world relies on. Boeing's acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems underscores the global significance of the work happening in our state and positions Kansas to continue shaping the future of aerospace innovation for decades to come."