Boeing is aiming to increase its 737 aircraft production rate to at least 57 per month by July 2025.
According to Reuters, which spoke with two sources with inside knowledge, the target was set out in Boeing’s latest master schedule for suppliers.
The target of 57 aircraft a month includes 737 MAX jets and military variants such as the P-8 Poseidon, which is derived from the civilian Boeing 737-800.
Sources told Reuters that production rates will rise to 47.2 jets in June 2024, 52.5 jets in December 2024 and then 57.7 aircraft per month in July 2025.
Previously, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun had said he wanted to see the production output increase to 60 a month.
“I would love to get to 60 deliveries and the market is there for it. There’s no doubt about it,” Calhoun said.
In August 2023, it was reported that Boeing was re-evaluating its delivery targets for the 737 MAX after the discovery of a manufacturing issue.
Spirit AeroSystems disclosed the manufacturing defect on August 23, 2023, after reports of an issue with the aft bulkhead of the 737 fuselages. However, the supplier also stated that Boeing had determined there was no immediate flight safety concern, and therefore that the active Boeing 737 MAX and P-8 Poseidon fleet “may continue to operate.”
In comparison, Airbus is continuing to work to ramp up the A220 and A320neo aircraft families’ monthly rates to 14 and 65, respectively.
The manufacturer plans to produce 14 A220s per month by “the middle of the decade”, while on the A320neo aircraft family program, the output is set to go up to 65 by the end of 2024 and increase further to 75 per month in 2026.
The 75 A320neo aircraft per month rate will be achieved with the help of 10 Final Assembly Lines (FAL) throughout the world, including France, Germany, China, and the United States.
