Boeing Strike Threatens F-47 Fighter Jet Production

A strike by 3,200 Boeing defense unit employees threatens production of the F-47 fighter jet, which is set to replace the aging F-22 fleet. The strike began after contract negotiations fell apart, stalling work on the F-15, F/A-18 Hornet, T-7 trainer, and MQ-25 aerial refueling unmanned aircraft. The strike could cause delays and cost overruns as Boeing ramps up investment in the F-47, including a major expansion of its St. Louis production line. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg downplayed the strike's effects, but a delay could impact testing, supply chain deliveries, and depot work.

A strike by 3,200 Boeing defense unit employees has threatened the production of the F-47 fighter jet, which is set to replace the aging F-22 fleet. The strike began after contract negotiations fell apart, stalling work on the F-15, F/A-18 Hornet, T-7 trainer, and MQ-25 aerial refueling unmanned aircraft. The strike could cause delays and cost overruns as Boeing ramps up investment in the F-47, including a major expansion of its St. Louis production line.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg downplayed the strike's effects, stating, "The order of magnitude of this is much, much less than last year’s Seattle strike of 30,000 workers. I wouldn’t worry too much about the implications of the strike. We’ll manage our way through that" [1]. However, a delay could impact testing, supply chain deliveries, and depot work.

The F-47, championed by President Donald Trump, is designed to have greater stealth, an AI-assisted cockpit, and a command and control node for collaborative combat aircraft. It is expected to have a combat range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles and a cruise speed above Mach 2 [2]. The strike could lead to rescheduling of testing, supply chain deliveries, and depot work, even if the strike ends swiftly.

Boeing has said it would activate contingency plans, possibly assigning non-union or third-party workers to keep essential tasks moving. The company has reported nearly $11 billion in losses from late 2021 through the end of last year, mostly due to fixed-price Pentagon contracts [3]. However, so far this year, the unit has returned to profitability.

The strike follows a series of setbacks for Boeing, including the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max airplanes and the grounding of the Dreamliner plane operated by Air India [2]. The F-47 contract terminates Lockheed Martin’s long-standing monopoly on US stealth fighter production, providing Boeing with a major financial lifeline.

References:
[1] https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-politics/trumps-f-47-next-gen-fighter-jet-threatened-potential-delays-boeing-workers-go-strike
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/boeing-worker-strike-stalls-production-105058015.html
[3] https://pamfleti.net/english/bota/dominimi-ajror-amerikan-dy-modelet-e-avioneve-qe-do-te-trondisin-boten-riva-i291452