Quantcast

Annual report details trends and changes in Boeing's military aircraft production

European air traffic warning means summer delays for holidaymakers
The EU rule change that could affect millions of Brits when their flight is delayed or cancelled
Delta Earnings Land Soon. Why They’re Key for Airline Stocks and the Economy.
Avelo Airlines to Operate Deportation Flights, Hiring Flight Attendants
Travel chaos 2025: all the strikes and disruption expected across Europe
United receives FAA approval for first Starlink-equipped planes
Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
EasyJet pilot Paul Elsworth suspended after flying too close to mountain
Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions
Europe's airlines pivot to bite size M&A deals to limit cost, regulatory burden
Annual report details trends and changes in Boeing's military aircraft production
Policy
Webp a3
CEO Kelly Ortberg | Boeing

Boeing remains a key supplier of military aircraft for the United States and its allies, producing a range of fighter jets, militarized commercial aircraft, and helicopters. Although Boeing did not secure contracts for the F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lightning II—both awarded to Lockheed Martin—it has recently been selected to develop the sixth-generation F-47 for the U.S. Air Force.

Boeing’s main business is commercial aviation, but it also manufactures military versions of its airliners and is a major producer of military helicopters. Its current fighter jet production includes the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the F-15 Eagle family, both inherited from McDonnell Douglas. Production numbers show that in 2022, Boeing delivered 14 Super Hornets; in 2023, 22; in 2024, 11; and by mid-2025, nine units. The company expects Super Hornet production to end by 2027 after final orders are fulfilled.

The Navy placed what is believed to be its last order for Super Hornets with a $1.4 billion contract for 17 Block III aircraft in March 2024. As future naval needs focus on longer-range platforms like the F-35C and upcoming F/A-XX programs, the demand for new Super Hornets is decreasing.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

For the F-15EX II Eagle program, Boeing plans to increase output to two aircraft per month by late 2026. Deliveries were reported as follows: 12 Eagles in 2022, nine in 2023, fourteen in 2024, and four through mid-2025. As of March 2024, there were reportedly ninety Eagles at various stages of production. Israel placed an additional order for twenty-five Eagles with deliveries expected starting in 2031.

Boeing also produces militarized versions of commercial planes such as the KC-46A Pegasus tanker (based on the Boeing 767) and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (based on the Boeing 737). The KC-46A has faced competition from Airbus’ MRTT but continues deliveries primarily to U.S., Japanese, and Israeli customers. From 2022 through mid-2025, annual KC-46A deliveries decreased from fifteen to five units as outstanding orders declined.

P-8 Poseidon deliveries have similarly tapered off: twelve delivered in 2022; eleven in 2023; four in 2024; two by mid-year in 2025.

In addition to fixed-wing aircraft, Boeing manufactures three types of military helicopters: AH-64 Apache attack helicopters (both new builds and remanufactured), CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters (new builds and renewed), and MH-139 Grey Wolf multirole helicopters built under license from Leonardo’s AW139 design.

Helicopter delivery figures vary due to ongoing remanufacturing efforts that extend operational life spans:

– New AH-64 Apaches: twenty-five delivered in 2022; twenty in 2023; sixteen in 2024; six by mid-year in 2025.

– Remanufactured Apaches: fifty delivered in 2022; fifty-seven in 2023; thirty-four in 2024; twenty-one by mid-year.

– New CH-47 Chinooks: nineteen delivered in 2022; eleven each year thereafter through early June.

– Renewed Chinooks: consistently nine per year between ‘22–‘24 with seven more delivered during first half of ’25.

– MH‑139 Grey Wolf: four delivered during ‘22 followed by fluctuating numbers up until five at mid‑year ’25.

Looking ahead at upcoming projects:

The T‑7 Red Hawk advanced jet trainer—developed jointly with Saab—is slated for serial production beginning around ’26 after initial test units were handed over during ’24.

Another anticipated program is MQ‑25 Stingray—a carrier-based aerial refueling drone developed for Navy CBARS requirements—with first serial units expected late ’26.

Finally—the highly classified sixth-generation F‑47 fighter will enter low-rate production possibly as soon as ‘27 following successful flight demonstrations since ’20.

While overall manned combat aircraft output may decline amid shifting defense priorities toward unmanned systems—including potential expansion into land-based variants derived from existing naval UAVs—Boeing’s portfolio remains diversified across fixed-wing jets and rotary-wing platforms.

Industry consolidation over recent decades has left Boeing alongside Northrop Grumman (producer of B‑21 Raider) and Lockheed Martin (maker of F‑35/F‑16) among only three U.S.-based firms capable of designing modern fighters independently from concept through manufacture.

“Following the post-Cold War series of US aerospace mergers, Boeing was left as one of the big three US aerospace defense companies able to design and produce advanced military fighter jets from start to finish,” according to information provided about industry structure.

Until winning the contract for next-generation fighters like F‑47—and potentially contending against Northrop Grumman alone if reports about Lockheed Martin’s elimination from certain Navy programs hold—Boeing’s future role within national defense aviation was uncertain. Now positioned for continued involvement pending congressional funding decisions on emerging platforms such as E‑7 Wedgetail or further tanker procurement initiatives—the scope and scale of annual military output may fluctuate but remain substantial.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Flying Food Group, Inc. has announced the recipients of its 2025 scholarships, with all five applicants receiving awards this year.

Oct 23, 2025

Dnata, a global provider of air and travel services, has entered into a joint venture with Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Group to launch ground handling and cargo operations at Alat International Airport, located in the Alat Free Economic Zone in Baku.

Oct 22, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced the release of version 7.5 of its mobile app, introducing new features aimed at making travel planning and management easier for customers during the holiday season.

Oct 22, 2025

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that a former employee of dnata Airport Services was unfairly dismissed and awarded $36,468.39 in compensation.

Oct 22, 2025

The 13th Annual Breast Care International Walk for the Cure took place in Kumasi, Ghana, drawing around 30,000 participants, including survivors, healthcare professionals, students, traditional leaders, and advocates.

Oct 22, 2025

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has announced the closure of Terminal 5 to allow for a significant redevelopment.

Oct 22, 2025