Boeing-Spirit Merger at Risk? FTC Orders Asset Sale for Approval
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a landmark decision that could reshape Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, requiring the aerospace giant to divest critical manufacturing operations to address competitive concerns. Under the consent order announced December 3, 2025, Boeing must sell Spirit’s aerostructures business in Subang, Malaysia to Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM), along with all associated assets and personnel. The $8.3 billion acquisition, which Boeing announced in July 2024, aimed to reintegrate its former parts supplier and bring significant manufacturing in-house. Spirit AeroSystems is among the world’s largest producers of fuselages, wings, and aerostructures, supplying approximately 70% of the structural components for Boeing’s 737 series while also providing critical parts to competitor Airbus.