Boeing to cut about 300 supply chain jobs in defence unit

Boeing is set to cut around 300 supply chain roles from its defence business, with affected employees expected to be notified later this week, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The reductions form part of a broader review of staffing needs, Reuters said, adding that some of those impacted may be able to move into vacant roles in other parts of the company. The person was not authorised to speak publicly about personnel decisions.

In a statement, a Boeing spokesperson said the company “regularly evaluates and adjusts its workforce to stay aligned to our commitments to our customers and communities”. Despite the planned cuts, Boeing continues to recruit and currently has around 1,300 open positions, according to people familiar with the hiring plans.

The job losses come even as Boeing’s overall workforce has been expanding, as per Bloomberg. The company employed about 182,000 people at the end of 2025, roughly 10,000 more than a year earlier, according to federal filings.

Boeing has been adding staff as it integrates Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, increases commercial aircraft production and begins work on the Pentagon’s next-generation F-47 fighter jet.

In a separate development, Boeing has also told employees that it intends to consolidate engineering work on its 787 Dreamliner in South Carolina, as it ramps up output of the wide-body aircraft. The move would involve transferring about 300 engineering roles from Washington state to South Carolina, according to the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), which represents Boeing engineers in Washington.

SPEEA said the shift would move jobs from a unionised workforce to a non-union state. Boeing’s two labour contracts covering around 16,000 SPEEA members in Washington are due to expire in October.

The latest announcements underline the continued reshaping of Boeing’s workforce as the company balances cost pressures, production goals and long-term defence and commercial programmes.