Boeing Defense Space & Security (BDS) has been an important player in European defense for decades, and its business in the region continues to grow at a considerable rate as the continent comes to terms with harsh geopolitical realities, highlighted by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The division now has more than 8,000 employees across 12 European nations supporting 25 armed forces.
Overall, Boeing spends billions of dollars in Europe annually across military and commercial sectors, mostly in the supply chain. Notable markets are in France, where Boeing spends €1.2 billion, Germany spends €1.1 billion, Italy spends €800 million, and the UK has spent £15 billion over the last 10 years. The company also performs an increasing amount of sustainment work.
BDS plays a key role in developing local industry capability in countries such as Poland, which is undergoing a large uplift of modern aircraft into its air force. Polish company PGZ is gearing up to service the fleet of 96 AH-64E Apaches that are soon to be delivered to the country’s air force. In Ukraine, Boeing has teamed with Antonov to rebuild the local aerospace industry, with a small UAV now under development.
Naturally, BDS is pursuing opportunities to sell its main product lines into the European market. The T-7 Red Hawk advanced trainer, P-8 Poseidon maritime patroller, E-7 Wedgetail AEW aircraft, KC-46 Pegasus tanker, and the AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters are all vying for further sales around the continent.
In France, for instance, the E-7 is being pitched to replace the air force’s aging E-3F AWACS aircraft, and the P-8 waits in the wings if the preferred Airbus-based solution for an Atlantique maritime patroller replacement stumbles.
Meanwhile, the E-7 has already been selected to replace the E-3s of the multinational NATO fleet. Denmark and Italy could also buy the P-8, with the Danes looking to increase their Arctic security capability. Norway is studying an increase of its P-8 fleet while Italy may also look to buy KC-46 tankers to augment or supplant its current KC-767s.
Poland—Europe’s biggest defense spender recently—continues to expand its air force and has stated desires for heavy-lift helicopters and tankers. There is also a requirement for 32 more heavy fighters, for which Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II is a prime candidate.
Germany is buying 60 CH-47 helicopters for delivery from 2027 and is to receive its first P-8 in September. There is a looming training requirement for which the T-7 is a candidate, and it is possible that the army may adopt the AH-64 attack helicopter.
The UK is also facing the need for advanced training as the Hawk fleet nears the end of its useful life. It is discussing the expansion of its E-7 fleet beyond the current three aircraft.
Both Germany and the UK are in the market for a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) to support Typhoons and F-35s, and Boeing is pitching the MQ-28 Ghost Bat developed by Boeing Australia. The type is the most advanced CCA in terms of its development status and has recently demonstrated the ability to be controlled from an Australian E-7.
Two live MQ-28s and a virtual digital CCA were recently flown in a combined operation. Boeing sees significant opportunities for the MQ-28 elsewhere in Europe and has suggested that it could find local partners to build the air vehicle in the customer nation.
Boeing’s other main current uncrewed program is the MQ-25 Stingray, of which the first seven aircraft are now in final assembly for delivery to the U.S. Navy for carrier-borne tanker duty. The first is due to make its debut flight later this year.
While the company is focusing now on delivering the capability to the U.S. Navy, it could be of interest to land-based operators. Thus, it is studying a land variant with a boom refueling installation.
Partnership with local industry is a key element of BDS’s strategy in Europe, covering supply chain, sustainment, and co-development activities. An example of the latter is the partnership with Saab on the T-7, which is building and holding design authority for the aft fuselage subassembly.
A sizeable portion of BDS’s research and development is now focused on the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter. Little detail can be said about NGAD at the time of writing, but BDS’s interim president, CEO, and COO Steve Parker noted that a related X-plane had flown “hundreds of times” since 2019.
He also said that it would not be an issue capacity-wise if Boeing were also to be selected for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter.