The Pentagon signed a $75 million bomb deal so quietly it never even showed up on its own contract list

Bank of America said Boeing’s planned sale of Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid to Archer Aviation should let Boeing focus on commercial aircraft. Boeing will receive a 19.75% Archer stake, warrants for up to $200 million more stock, and IP access via a cross-license. Closing is expected by end-2026; Boeing shares are about $233.

The FAA certified Boeing’s 737 MAX 7 on Monday, nearly nine years after Boeing’s initial expected approval. Boeing shares rose up to about 8%. Southwest Airlines, the launch customer, said it will not begin revenue service until 2027, pending seat retrofits. Boeing has 30 to 40 MAX 7/MAX 10 aircraft built, and analysts cited 282 MAX 7 orders.

The Pentagon, according to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg’s Aug. 5 memo, gave defense firms 21 days to submit plans to accelerate weapons production and delivery, including capital investments and facility expansions, to inform the fiscal 2028 budget request. It cites stock declines for Patriot and THAAD interceptors during the Iran conflict and longer replacement timelines. Companies named include Boeing, Lockheed Martin and RTX.

Boeing will sell three subsidiaries, Insitu, SkyGrid and Wisk Aero, to Archer Aviation in an all-stock deal, according to a joint announcement. Boeing will receive about a 16.5% stake in Archer, plus an agreement to invest up to $55 million and buy up to $200 million more shares at a fixed price. The deal is expected to close by year-end pending regulators.

Archer Aviation Inc. and The Boeing Company said they signed definitive agreements for Archer to acquire Boeing’s Wisk Aero, SkyGrid and Insitu subsidiaries. The deal combines autonomy, eVTOL and UAS capabilities and includes a collaboration allowing Boeing to retain access to Wisk core technology. Closing is expected by end-2026, subject to conditions including HSR.

Archer Aviation agreed to acquire Boeing subsidiaries Wisk Aero, SkyGrid and Insitu in an all-stock deal. Boeing will receive Archer Class A shares and warrants for a stake approaching 20%, plus up to $55 million in a future funding round and warrants for up to $200 million more. Insitu has $200M+ annual revenue. Archer shares rose about 19%.