Collins Aerospace lands US Army contract for Chinook avionics upgrade

The FAA said Boeing submitted an action plan to address “systemic quality control issues” after an Alaska Airlines door plug failure in January. The plan includes strengthening safety management, improving employee safety reporting, simplifying procedures, enhancing supplier oversight, increasing internal audits, and boosting training and communication.

Raytheon, part of RTX, received a $745 million contract from the US Missile Defense Agency to produce and sustain Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptors. The SM-3 IIA, developed with Japanese industry, uses a larger rocket motor and enhanced kinetic warhead. RTX cited a $115 million Alabama facility expansion to raise integration and delivery capacity by over 50%.

Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX, won a U.S. Army contract worth up to $472 million to provide engineering services for CH-47 Chinook modernization. The multi-year deal announced Aug. 11, 2026 covers avionics upgrades, addressing component obsolescence and refining the cockpit architecture, with work in Huntsville, Alabama and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Boeing said the US Air Force awarded it a $75 million undefinitized contract action to start building the GBU-75 long-range guided bomb, combining a JDAM warhead with a wing kit and turbojet engine to reach over 300 nautical miles. Boeing invested nearly $100 million. The Navy plans initial deliveries after April 2026 tests.

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.