Even though the program has been delayed by manufacturing problems, Boeing announced in its Q1 2023 financial results that it still intends to produce between 400 and 450 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft throughout the year. The production problems affecting the 737 MAX came to light in mid-April 2023 when Spirit AeroSystems notified Boeing that “a non-standard manufacturing process was used on two fittings in the aft fuselage section of certain 737 airplanes”.
All recently manufactured 737s, with the exception of the 737 MAX-9, were impacted, including the 737 MAX-8 and the P-8 Poseidon, a military variant of the 737 NextGeneration (NG) aircraft, the MAX’s forerunner.
“While near-term deliveries and production will be impacted as the program performs necessary inspections and rework, the program still expects to deliver 400-450 airplanes this year,” Boeing stated, adding that it plans to increase the production of the 737 to 38 per month sometime in 2023, increasing to 50 per month in 2025 or 2026. Similar to this, the manufacturer will increase the 787’s production pace to five units per month by the end of 2023, and then to 10 units per month by 2025 or 2026.
According to their data page on commercial aircraft, Boeing presently builds 31 737 MAXs, three 767s, three 777/777Xs, and “low rates” of 787s each month.