Is Boeing-Spirit merger at risk? FTC orders Boeing to sell key Spirit assets

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will require Boeing to divest significant Spirit AeroSystems assets to address antitrust concerns related to its $8.3 billion acquisition of Spirit. 

In a statement on December 3, 2025, the FTC said Boeing must divest Spirit operations that provide aerostructures to Airbus and Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM), a manufacturer of composite aerostructures, including all essential assets and personnel. 

Under the proposed consent order, the FTC will require Boeing to offer transitional support to these manufacturers to help them in manufacturing various products.  

As part of the divestiture order, Boeing must sell Spirit’s aerostructures business in Subang, Malaysia, which currently supplies parts to both Boeing and Airbus, to CTRM. 

The order also requires Boeing and Spirit to keep supplying aerostructures and related services to other contractors for military aircraft programs. According to the FTC, Spirit is required to maintain its current contracts and remain available as a supplier for future competitors. 

Boeing’s merger at risk due to competition concerns 

The FTC argued that without these regulations, Boeing could restrict or limit competitors’ access to Spirit’s aerostructures, which would harm competition in the large commercial and military aircraft sectors. 

“FTC’s action protects aircraft manufacturing competition to ensure that Americans across the country can continue to access high-quality aircraft to reach their next destination,” said David J. Shaw, Principal Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. 

Additionally, the FTC said the divestments would address concerns that Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit might allow the US aircraft manufacturer to increase costs or limit Airbus’ access to necessary materials for aircraft. 

Boeing’s planned acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems goes back to July 2024, when the US aircraft manufacturer agreed to reacquire its previous parts supplier in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.7 billion – or about $8.3 billion when debt is included. 

Spirit is among the largest producers of fuselages, wings, and significant aerostructures globally, providing around 70% of the structure for Boeing’s 737 series and supplying key components for Airbus aircraft as well. 

By reintegrating Spirit, Boeing intends to bring a significant portion of its manufacturing back in-house, but the recent FTC ruling could complicate the merger process, which Boeing had hoped to finalize by the end of 2025. The post Is Boeing-Spirit merger at risk? FTC orders Boeing to sell key Spirit assets appeared first on AeroTime.

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