Boeing has begun building an Advanced Coatings Center in St Louis, Missouri to carry out post-assembly phases of future military aircraft production.
The new 47,500 square-foot Center will be a secure facility operated by Phantom Works, Boeing’s R&D and prototyping division and is expected to be operational in 2025.
Steve Nordlund, air dominance vice president and general manager, and a St. Louis senior site executive said, “As we pivot toward future programs, Boeing’s defense business is in the midst of one of the most significant investments in new facilities in our history.
“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. We are revolutionizing how aircraft are designed, built and delivered because the threats demand it.”
The Advanced Coatings Center is part of Phantom Works’ multi-billion dollar Production System of the Future program, which aims to develop a platform-agnostic, modular and flexible digital production system for future defense programs.
Last autumn, Boeing opened the new Advanced Composite Fabrication Center in Mesa, Arizona and added a new Laboratory and Test facility St. Louis during the winter.
