Jamie Bennet
Boeing broke ground on its future Advanced Coatings Center in St. Louis in line with its division’s multibillion-dollar Production System of the Future expansion plan.
The 47,500 square-foot military aircraft production facility will be operated by Phantom Works, the research, development and prototyping entity of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, the company said Friday.
Boeing envisioned a state-of-the-art factory that will accommodate digital military aircraft post-assembly. The Advanced Coatings Center is targeted for commissioning in 2025.
Phantom Works’ Production System of the Future initiative previously accomplished the opening of an Advanced Composite Fabrication Center in Mesa, Arizona, and a laboratory and testing facility in St. Louis. Together with the coatings facility, the three sites feature a platform-agnostic and modular digital production system.
“This investment is not only to win new future franchise programs but, more importantly, to enable the United States to outpace increasingly capable and aggressive adversaries,” said Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing’s air dominance division, and senior site executive of the St. Louis operations.
