Boeing & Airbus Acquire Spirit AeroSystems Assets, Reshaping Aerospace

Boeing and Airbus have completed landmark acquisitions of Spirit AeroSystems assets, fundamentally reshaping the commercial aerospace manufacturing landscape. The finalized deals, announced on December 8, 2025, represent a pivotal moment for both manufacturers and signal the end of Spirit’s tenure as an independent aerostructures supplier.

Boeing’s Comprehensive Integration

Boeing confirmed the acquisition of all Spirit-related commercial operations, including fuselages for the 737 program and major structures for the 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner. The deal also encompasses commercially procured fuselages for military platforms including the P-8 and KC-46. Notably, the transaction brings Spirit’s extensive spare-parts business in-house, significantly expanding Boeing’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities and strengthening its aftermarket portfolio.

Approximately 15,000 employees from Spirit’s US commercial operations and the Aerospace Innovation Center in Prestwick, Scotland, will integrate into Boeing. The company has also established Short Brothers as an independent subsidiary operating the Belfast, Northern Ireland facility.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg emphasized the strategic importance: “This is a pivotal moment in Boeing’s history and future success as we begin to integrate Spirit AeroSystems’ commercial and aftermarket operations. Our focus is on maintaining stability so we can continue delivering high-quality airplanes.”

Airbus’s Multi-Site Expansion

Airbus completed its acquisition for USD 439 million, acquiring Spirit facilities across the United States, France, Morocco, and the United Kingdom. The integration brings over 4,000 employees into Airbus and adds production capabilities for fuselage sections, wings, and components supporting the A220, A320, and A350 programs.

Florent Massou, Executive Vice President Operations for Airbus’ Commercial Aircraft business, stated: “This milestone marks a special moment for all of us at Airbus. We are proud to welcome over 4,000 new colleagues, with whom we will embark on a new chapter in our industrial operations.”

The End of an Era

These transactions mark the effective dissolution of Spirit as a diversified supplier. Originally spun out from Boeing in 2005 to serve multiple manufacturers, Spirit faced mounting pressures including operational challenges, quality issues, and financial strain exacerbated by Boeing’s production disruptions.

The breakup reflects both manufacturers’ conclusion that critical structures—fuselages, wings, and major assemblies—are too essential to aircraft certification, delivery schedules, and quality assurance to remain outside direct corporate control. This represents a fundamental return to vertical integration, reversing the outsourcing trend of the 2000s and prioritizing supply chain resilience and quality oversight.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1765206046384-1242