Boeing Breaks Ground on New Advanced Combat Air Facility
Boeing's new Advanced Combat Air Facility under construction in north St. Louis County, Missouri, as part of a $1.8 billion expansion to bolster its defense manufacturing capabilities.
Boeing officials announced this week plans for a new manufacturing site for combat aircraft as part of a $1.8 billion expansion at its north St. Louis County complex.
The new site, known as the Advanced Combat Air Facility, will cover 1.1 million square feet. The significant investment in Boeing's defense arm will nearly double the company's manufacturing footprint in the area.
The expansion includes new aerospace programs, indicating that the facility is designed to be versatile and not reliant on a single contract.
The facility will be operated by Boeing's Phantom Works team, which already has a strong presence in the St. Louis area. Phantom Works focuses on advanced technology development for current and future defense systems, including satellites and other space products.
Steve Nordlund, senior site executive for Boeing St. Louis, said the investment is intended to help the U.S. defense industry stay competitive globally.
"It's not lost on you what's happening with the fight around the globe, and the speed our adversaries are moving at," Nordlund told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Boeing began construction of the site in the fourth quarter of 2023, with the project expected to be completed by 2026. While Boeing has not publicly confirmed that the new facility will be involved in the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, there is speculation that it could play a role.
The NGAD program aims to develop the next generation of fighter jets, with Boeing reportedly competing against Lockheed Martin for the main contract. Last year, the Air Force announced plans to award the contract in 2024, but earlier this month, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Aviation Week that the fiscal year budget is "tough."
Experts have long said that Boeing, a company burdened by quality problems in its passenger jet business and aging fighter jet lines in its defense business, needs a game-changer.
Boeing's expansion in St. Louis is part of a broader strategy to invest in cutting-edge technologies and maintain its leadership in the defense sector, especially after its corporate reputation has suffered several setbacks. "We have to make some bets," Nordlund said. "We've listened to our customer, and we're leaning forward."
The project has received about $155 million in tax breaks from the St. Louis County council. Boeing's investment is expected to bring significant economic benefits, including job creation and increased demand for local suppliers.
Boeing also recently opened a specialized lab and testing facility in St. Louis, and plans to open an advanced post-assembly site in the second quarter of 2025.
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