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Boeing’s $8.3 Billion Spirit Deal Faces New FTC Demands

By  |  December 3, 2025

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission plans to require Boeing to divest key operations of Spirit AeroSystems as part of the aircraft maker’s planned $8.3 billion takeover of its longtime supplier, according to CNBC. The FTC announced Wednesday that the divestitures are needed to prevent competition harms linked to Boeing’s purchase of a company that produces major structural components for jets, including the 737’s wings and fuselage.

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    The decision adds new hurdles to a deal Boeing had hoped to wrap up before year-end, per CNBC. A 30-day public comment period is now underway. While regulators will allow the companies to formally close the transaction beforehand, further approval would still be necessary to complete all requirements of the agency’s proposed order.

    Boeing’s stock slipped more than 3% during midday trading following the announcement, according to CNBC.

    A major focus of the FTC’s conditions centers on Spirit operations that supply Boeing’s European rival, Airbus. Boeing would need to divest those units to ensure that its acquisition does not give it leverage over a competitor’s supply chain. Airbus has already been in negotiations to purchase those specific Spirit business segments.

    Related: EU Clears Boeing’s $4.7 Billion Spirit AeroSystems Deal After Divestment Pledge

    Regulators also want to ensure that Spirit continues to support defense contractors that compete against Boeing in upcoming U.S. military aircraft programs. The Chicago-based manufacturer recently secured a contract for the Pentagon’s first sixth-generation fighter jet, the F-47, and is seeking to win the Navy’s future F/A-XX fighter program. The FTC says the divestitures would help safeguard fair competition in those markets.

    In a statement included in the public announcement, Boeing said: “We welcome the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s approval of our acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems. While the transaction has not yet fully closed, we are committed to completing the remaining steps necessary to finalize the acquisition. This milestone will further enhance our ability to manufacture safe, high-quality airplanes for our customers and benefit the flying public.”

    The conditions underscore growing regulatory scrutiny on large aerospace deals as Boeing attempts to tighten control over its supply chain amid ongoing production and quality challenges.

    Source: CNBC