Boeing has completed its $8.3 billion acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, a leading supplier of fuselages and major aircraft structures. The deal, which includes taking on roughly $4 billion of Spirit’s debt, covers all Boeing-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major components for the 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner, as well as fuselages for P-8 and KC-46 military aircraft. Portions of Spirit’s operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, will operate as Short Brothers, a Boeing Company, while commercial and aftermarket operations in Wichita, Kansas; Dallas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and the Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick, Scotland, will integrate with Boeing. The acquisition adds approximately 15,000 employees across the five global sites.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg emphasized the company’s focus on stability and high-quality production during the integration, while Spirit AeroSystems’ defense operations will continue to function independently as Spirit Defense under Boeing’s defense, space, and security division. The acquisition also expands Boeing’s global maintenance, repair, and overhaul services, as well as its rotable, lease, and exchange portfolio. Spirit AeroSystems’ stock symbol, SPR, has been replaced with Boeing’s BA on the New York Stock Exchange.
As part of the Federal Trade Commission recommendations, Boeing has divested portions of Spirit AeroSystems’ supply components to Airbus and Composites Technology Research Malaysia. Airbus acquired five Spirit facilities across France, Morocco, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the U.S., along with more than 4,000 employees, for $439 million. Composites Technology Research Malaysia purchased Spirit’s engineering and manufacturing operations in Subang, Malaysia, including a 400,000-square-foot facility and over 1,000 employees, for $95.2 million. These divestitures are intended to maintain competitive balance while allowing Boeing to finalize the merger.