Boeing advances new St Louis factory for sixth-generation combat jet production

Boeing is progressing steadily with construction on a large new manufacturing facility in St Louis, Missouri, set to produce its next-generation combat aircraft. The factory, known internally as the Brownleigh Site, spans around 102,000 square meters (1.1 million square feet) and is located within Boeing Defense, Space & Security's (BDS) established combat aircraft campus. This site, adjacent to St Louis Lambert International Airport, already hosts production lines for Boeing’s F-15EX, F/A-18E/F, and T-7A jets, alongside precision munitions manufacturing. Boeing’s decision to expand this campus reflects a strategic investment in its advanced air combat capabilities.

The Brownleigh Site project emerged from Boeing’s efforts starting in 2023, with active construction kicking off in 2024. Despite the facility’s initially secretive nature and the absence of any official linkage to specific Air Force programs at the time, it soon became widely understood that the new plant would assemble Boeing’s developmental F-47 fighter. The F-47 is intended as the Pentagon's first frontline sixth-generation tactical fighter jet, currently a high-stakes program within the overarching Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.

Images recently released by Boeing reveal that exterior construction on the Brownleigh facility is mostly complete, with the roof, exterior panels, and hangar doors installed. Concurrently, redevelopment work continues on the adjacent Northern Tract, a formerly disused McDonnell Douglas manufacturing area, where steel framework erection has begun. Together, these projects significantly expand Boeing’s footprint in the heart of its historic St Louis combat aircraft production hub.

Boeing’s general manager of air dominance, Dan Gillian, characterized the expansion as a continuation of Boeing’s commitment to next-generation capabilities and a significant defense footprint growth. Boeing executives previously described the plant as a pivotal 'bet' on the company’s future in fighter manufacturing. The gamble paid off when Boeing won the NGAD competition in 2025, propelling the company forward with the F-47 prototype, which is planned to make its maiden flight by 2028.

Boeing also remains a leading contender for the US Navy’s upcoming F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter contract alongside Northrop Grumman. The expanded St Louis complex aligns with CEO Steve Parker's assertions that Boeing is capable of concurrently producing both the Air Force's F-47 and potentially the Navy’s F/A-XX fighters. Parker has termed the F-47 contract a 'generational windfall' for Boeing and has expressed confidence in the program's progress while maintaining operational secrecy about specific milestones.

Specific performance details for the F-47 outlined by the US Air Force include an unrefueled combat radius of approximately 1,000 nautical miles (1,850 km), a top speed of Mach 2, and the ability to integrate and coordinate with emerging classes of uncrewed fighter drones like General Atomics’ FQ-42 and Anduril’s FQ-44. These capabilities underscore the F-47’s role as a cutting-edge platform intended to dominate future air combat through manned-unmanned teaming and advanced tactical reach.

In addition to the next-generation fighter development, Boeing is benefiting from the Pentagon's increased purchase plans for its current F-15EX fleet. The fiscal year 2027 budget request raises the intended number of F-15EX jets to as many as 268 units, enabling Boeing to ramp up production to 24 aircraft annually by 2028-2029. Internationally, Israel is also set to acquire 50 of a variant tailored from the F-15EX design, designated the F-15IA, expanding Boeing’s export footprint.

The simultaneous growth of both legacy and cutting-edge fighter programs illustrates Boeing’s multi-pronged strategy to secure its position as a leader in manned air combat aircraft for the coming decades. The Brownleigh Site’s initial build-out marks a critical milestone in readiness to mass-produce the F-47, bolstering the US Air Force’s future tactical capabilities while supporting Boeing’s long-term defense manufacturing presence in St Louis.