450+
Boeing aircraft in the UK across commercial and defence fleets
We’ve partnered with the United Kingdom since before World War II. Over the course of a relationship that spans more than 80 years, we have grown to a highly-skilled workforce of over 4,000 people – Boeing’s largest European base – across 30 key locations, from Lossiemouth to Gosport.
Our team are engaged in all aspects of Boeing’s business, including commercial and defence aviation services and creating the technology of tomorrow.
Boeing is woven deep into the fabric of the UK’s aerospace and wider industrial ecosystem, including our collaboration with the UK government, long-term research partnerships with six universities and a diverse network of over 950 domestic suppliers.
Anchored by our presence at key sites across the UK, Boeing is committed to innovating and investing in efforts that build, enhance and contribute to the communities where we are proud to live and work.
By the numbers
£13.7B
Spent with UK supply
chain since 2015
950
UK-based
suppliers
1,300+
SMEs have attended Boeing supply
chain events since 2016
£13.8M+
For community, higher education,
STEM and veteran support
30
Key locations
nationwide
£300M+
Direct investment into
the UK since 2015
4,000+
Highly skilled
workforce
Latest news
Boeing Delivers Final United Kingdom Apache E-Model
University of Sheffield AMRC and Boeing win award with their catalysing industry-academia research
Boeing Completes First Flight of UK E-7 Wedgetail
Key E-7 Wedgetail facility officially opened by Royal Air Force
Key sites
Boeing has a presence across 30 locations in the UK, from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to Gosport on the South Coast of England. Here are our key sites:
Bristol
Boeing Defence UK, located near MOD Abbey Wood in Bristol, is integral to the South West's defence aerospace ecosystem. BDUK’s total workforce is distributed across 18 key sites in the UK and often co-located with customers.
Gatwick
Boeing Global Services operates a 4,900 sq/m flight and technical training center in Crawley, West Sussex. The largest outside the US, it trains flight crew and maintenance personnel using classrooms, training devices, eight full-flight simulators, and a 787 training suite.
Lossiemouth
Boeing has a long-standing presence in Scotland at RAF Lossiemouth, home to the UK's P-8 Poseidon and future E-7 Wedgetail fleet. Over 200 personnel maintain the aircraft and train crews, and two major infrastructure projects with the local supply chain have been completed to support these aircraft.
Sheffield
Boeing's £40 million Sheffield facility, the first manufacturing site in Europe, produces 737's trailing edge actuator systems components. It supports 520 jobs, contributes over £55 million annually to the South Yorkshire economy, and partners with local supply chains and academia on technological innovations.
Commercial presence
More than a dozen airlines in the UK operate over 250 Boeing aeroplanes, with a number of overseas airlines also flying Boeing aircraft to UK airports. The 737 family is operated by many airlines familiar to UK passengers. Irish airline Ryanair has a significant presence in the UK, operating Europe’s largest fleet of 737s and has placed orders for more than 350 737 MAX jets. Three airlines with UK air operation certificates operate the 787 Dreamliner: TUI, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Several major UK aerospace companies play a significant role in the 787, including Rolls-Royce, whose engines comprise 25 percent of the aircraft’s value.
Next-Generation 737
Providing our customers with superior reliability, fuel efficiency and high-value returns operators require in today's competitive market.
787 Dreamliner
Creating remarkable opportunities for airlines around the world and dramatically improves the air travel experience.
737 MAX
Delivering enhanced efficiency, improved environmental performance and increased passenger comfort to the single-aisle market.
777
Combining superior range, outstanding fuel efficiency and passenger-preferred comfort has created long-range success for carriers around the world.
Boeing Business Jets
Bringing a century of innovations to VIP travel by offering a personalized space with superior range and state-of-the-art technology.
747-8
Revolutionaizing air travel as the world’s first twin-aisle airplane and enabling more people to fly farther, faster and more affordably than ever before.
777X
The world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, unmatched in every aspect of performance.
Orders and deliveries
To our database recording the latest orders and deliveries cross the globe.
Defence presence
Over 120 Boeing defence platforms are operated by the British armed forces, providing battle-winning, life-saving capabilities on the front line.
AH-64E Apache
Boeing has delivered 50 remanufactured AH-64E helicopters to the British Army, creating over 300 jobs. Over 70 UK suppliers to support the global Apache fleet.
CH-47 Chinook
The Chinook helicopter, crucial for the UK's heavy-lift capability,is maintained by over 450 personnel across the UK, with support from UK suppliers like Leonardo and Thales.
C-17 Globemaster
The Boeing-built C-17 is essential for the UK's airlift capabilities. Over 100 employees at RAF Brize Norton and at the C-17 International Training Centre – which offers nearly 600 training courses annually – support the UK’s mission.
E-7 Wedgetail
Three modified Boeing 737s will serve as the RAF's future Airborne Early Warning and Control fleet. Around 100 jobs have been created to support the modification line.
P-8A Poseidon
The UK's nine P-8A Poseidon aircraft enhance maritime security. The fleet is supported by over 200 Boeing employees at RAF Lossiemouth and more than 80 UK suppliers provide vital components for the global fleet.
Global services
Government Services
Boeing Defence UK (BDUK) is Boeing’s onshore defence business and trusted partner to the Ministry of Defence.
Our defence workforce of more than 2,100 people in the United Kingdom solve current and emerging defence and security challenges and deliver sustainment, training and support services for the British armed forces.
Alongside this, BDUK’s digital capabilities provide the Gladiator Core Systems and Services for the Royal Air Force and continuous logistics and engineering Information Systems for the Ministry of Defence.
Commercial Aviation Services
Boeing Flight Services, the largest Boeing training site outside the United States, runs a flight and technical training centre for flight crew and maintenance personnel.
The training centre supports around 100 jobs in the Crawley area.
Boeing also has a 56,000 sq.ft. smart warehouse distribution site in Burgess Hill. This receives and ships aircraft parts to our civil and defence customers in the UK and globally, and is supported by a team of quality inspectors and engineers.
Partnerships
- Supply chain
- Innovation
- Sustainability
- Community
- Universities
Since 2015, Boeing has invested over £13.7 billion in its UK supply chain, collaborating with more than 950 domestic suppliers and facilitating visits for UK companies to explore major export opportunities. Over 1300 SMEs have attended Boeing supply chain events since 2016.
Marshall based in Cambridge, UK produce the auxiliary fuels tanks for the global P-8 fleet from its Cambridge production facility and have delivered 1200+ tanks to support the global P-8 fleet.
Northern Ireland firm Denroy has achieved the injection molding qualification for Boeing, the first company in the UK to achieve this status, and has the capability to supply thermoplastic components to Boeing.
Needles & Pins is an industrial textile sewing SME based in Somerset, which provides interiors for Chinook aircraft and specialises in Ground Support Equipment for the global aviation industry.
The UK is an important market, supplier base and source of some of the world’s most innovative technology partners.
In July 2023, Boeing, alongside partners Spirit AeroSystems, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Loop Technology launched an £80 million advanced manufacturing project in collaboration with the UK Government. The Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) research facility will house the Boeing-led Isothermic High-Rate Sustainable Structures (IHSS) project aimed at developing and testing new technologies needed to meet future demand for lighter commercial aircraft and help the aviation industry’s commitment reach net zero by 2050.
Boeing leverages QinetiQ’s advanced five-metre wind tunnel in Farnborough, Hampshire, to enhance the design of high lift systems, improving take-off and landing performance for aircraft like the 787, 777, 747-8, and 737 MAX.
Boeing and other partners established the Advanced Forming Research Centre with the University of Strathclyde and has an ongoing partnership with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.
Boeing is committed to the industry-wide objective of reaching net zero by 2050 and our work in the UK directly contributes to increasing the efficiency and decreasing the carbon footprint of our facilities and products.
Boeing is a member of the UK Government’s Jet Zero Taskforce and was a signatory to the Sustainable Aviation Net Zero pledge in 2021, where the company aligned with UK Government targets to cut aviation net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
Boeing is a founding member of the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre, which includes the UK's first Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre for testing and certifying sustainable aviation fuels, as well as the Translational Energy Research Centre featuring pilot-scale production facilities to explore various SAF production methods.
Boeing has partnered with Clear Sky to accelerate solutions in aviation sustainability, starting with a project to test and advance Firefly Green Fuels’ innovative technology aimed at boosting SAF production in the UK.
Through purposeful investments, partnerships, employee volunteering and thoughtful advocacy efforts, Boeing and its employees support innovative partnerships and programmes that create sustainable value and help build better communities on both a nationwide and regional level.
We want to improve access to learning and skills development, support local community needs and our military and veteran communities. Boeing’s UK 2025 charitable partners are SSAFA, The Open University Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund, The Air League, Primary Engineer, Royal Academy of Engineering, The King’s Trust, Royal Aeronautical Society, Windsor Fellowship, St Andrew’s Club, Flying Scholarships for Disabled People, Golddigger Trust and Outfit Moray.
Boeing has strategic partnerships with seven UK universities - University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Cranfield University, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton, the University of Strathclyde and Queen’s University Belfast.