Boeing Moving Defense Headquarters to Washington, D.C., Area

Boeing Co. said Tuesday that it will move the headquarters of its defense and space unit to the Washington, D.C., area from St. Louis, though the bulk of its military activity will remain in Missouri.

Leanne Caret, chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and 11 other staff will move their base to Boeing's office complex in Crystal City, Va., early next year.

Ms. Caret took on the role in February and has made boosting engagement with the Pentagon and other national security customers a priority, prompting the shift in the unit's official headquarters.

Boeing said the moves could eventually involve up to 50 staff, but it will still employ more than 14,000 in the St. Louis area, where it designs and builds combat jets and munitions.

The company is the Pentagon's second-largest supplier, and rivals such as Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. are all based in the Capitol region. Boeing had established its defense base in St. Louis after acquiring McDonnell Douglas Corp. in 1997.

A Boeing spokesman said there will be no change to Boeing's local tax obligations in St. Louis from shifting the headquarters of the defense unit.

Write to Doug Cameron at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 13, 2016 12:55 ET (17:55 GMT)

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