Textron is on the verge of acquiring the fuselage-making program for its V-280 Valor military aircraft from Spirit AeroSystems, according to a source familiar with the matter. This move is part of a broader carve-out following Boeing’s recent $4.7 billion all-stock deal to acquire the Kansas-based supplier.
Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit, the world’s largest standalone aerostructures company, includes plans to break up its assets. European planemaker Airbus is set to take over core activities at four of Spirit’s plants. Meanwhile, Textron, the maker of Bell helicopters, will acquire Spirit’s work package for the V-280 Valor, a tiltrotor aircraft selected in 2022 for the U.S. Army’s future long-range assault aircraft program. The source requested anonymity as the information is confidential, and the deal’s value remains undisclosed.
The V-280 Valor, designed to take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane by rotating its propellers, is set to replace the Black Hawk utility helicopter. The U.S. Army valued the first batch of V-280s in low-rate production at $7.1 billion in 2022, with the contract potentially worth around $70 billion over decades, depending on orders from the Army and U.S. allies.
Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas expressed concerns over the potential breakup of Spirit’s defense work. He has urged CEOs of major defense companies, including Textron, to ensure that work performed in Wichita, Kansas, remains uninterrupted by Boeing’s deal. Moran emphasized the importance of continuing this work in Kansas.
A Textron spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, while Boeing referred queries to Spirit. Joe Buccino, a spokesperson for Spirit, stated that the company has had a successful 10-year partnership with Bell on the V-280 program and will continue to work together to fulfill their joint commitments.
This acquisition by Textron highlights the ongoing strategic shifts in the defense and aerospace sectors, aiming to streamline operations and bolster capabilities for future military needs.
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