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GE Aerospace has announced that it plans to invest another $1 billion in its U.S. manufacturing sites and supplier base during 2026.
The company's goal is to accelerate engine deliveries, increase production of parts that can safely extend time between maintenance visits, and strengthen defense production to keep pace with military demand. This is GE Aerospace's second consecutive $1 billion U.S. investment and will be used across 17 states. Since 2024, the company has announced plans to spend more than $2.5 billion across its U.S. manufacturing sites and supplier base, including almost $600 million in defensive engine production. This manufacturing investment is in addition to the nearly $3 billion GE Aerospace invests annually in research and development.
"Maintaining U.S. aerospace leadership requires sustained investment in our people, our facilities, and the technologies that will define the future of flight," said H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., GE Aerospace chairman and CEO. "This investment is for our customers, our communities, and our country."
GE Aerospace also plans to hire 5,000 U.S. workers in both manufacturing and engineering roles, as it did last year. It is part of its $30-million GE Aerospace Foundation program to train 10,000 workers by 2030 with the manufacturing skills to support the entire aviation industry.
It claims that the $1 billion investment will expand capacity at sites producing and assembling commercial and defense engines. $115 million will be used on GE Aerospace's headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio to modernize infrastructure, increase test cell capacity and expand advanced 3D metal printing capabilities. More than $275 million will be used to upgrade sites producing defense engines and components. Large investments in defense production include:
$40 million+ in Lynn, Massachusetts to update machinery, expand test cell capacity and flexibility and make building upgrades.
$10 million in Madisonville, Kentucky will be spent to purchase new machines, equipment and facility upgrades.
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Commercial engine production capacity is planned to expand, particularly the CFM LEAP engine used in the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320 aircraft lines. GE Aerospace's goal is to increase part production for maintenance sites and reduce turnaround times. Large investments in commercial production include:
$200 million to expand manufacturing capacity for LEAP high-pressure turbine durability
$20 million for Durham, North Carolina for specialized tooling, engine line assembly systems and building upgrades
$7 million for Lafayette, Indiana for new tools, equipment and facility upgrades
More than $100 million of the $1 billion will be invested in GE Aerospace's external supplier base. The company claims that the funds will help stabilize production schedules by providing tooling and equipment. It further claims that deploying these investments alongside the company's proprietary lean operating model, FLIGHT DECK, already improved material input by over 40% in 2025 compared to 2024, increasing commercial engine deliveries by 25% and defense engine deliveries by 30%.