Ethiopian Airlines nears Boeing cargo plane order, sources say

Boeing will begin distributing $444.5 million in payments to victims' families of the 2018 and 2019 737 MAX crashes, per a 2025 Justice Department agreement. This follows a separate $500 million fund from a 2021 agreement, totaling $944.5 million. Payments come after the dismissal of a federal criminal case related to Boeing's disclosures about the MCAS system.

Boeing secured a Pentagon contract worth up to $131 billion for F-15 aircraft maintenance and upgrades, extending the aircraft's lifespan. The contract, running through 2036 with possible extensions, includes work for U.S. and international militaries. Boeing began compliance immediately, with production resuming after a 2025 strike. The F-15EX model is designed to stay in service until at least 2040.

Boeing (BA) and the U.S. Air Force agreed to implement an improved remote vision system for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker, with features like laser ranging and 4K cameras. The Air Force will oversee design assessments for deployment in 2023. Separately, the Air Force signed an MOU to release $882M in withheld payments to Boeing, related to past KC-46 program non-compliance, to mitigate COVID-19 impacts.

US President Trump praised Bangladesh's decision to buy Boeing aircraft, noting the deal is worth $3.7 billion. Bangladesh's Civil Aviation Minister confirmed the purchase of 14 Boeing planes, with deliveries scheduled from 2031 to 2035. Trump also expressed eagerness to meet Bangladesh's Prime Minister.

The Pentagon signed agreements with Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics to boost production of THAAD and Patriot missiles. Lockheed will quadruple THAAD production to 400/year and triple PAC-3 MSE to 2,000/year. The moves aim to address missile shortages and enhance U.S. defense capabilities, with $67.1B requested to prevent shortfalls.

Boeing's engineers, represented by SPEEA, have authorized a strike starting October 7, 2026, which could delay the FAA certification of the 737 MAX 10. The strike would halt regulatory documentation, not physical production. Boeing's Q2 2026 revenue was $24.6B, with a net loss of $428M and $631M in free cash flow. The company aims to increase production rates to 52 by early 2027.