Boeing 737: American Made but Globally Sourced
The global supply chain for American aircraft manufacturing is complex, with many parts sourced from around the world. Boeing collaborates with suppliers across various nations to import thousands of parts for all of its airplanes. While the exact number of contributing countries can vary over time, this diagram charts key foreign suppliers for the 737 model as of April 2025, according to AirFramer.com.
Every supplier part on an aircraft must meet strict airworthiness standards and approval from aviation regulators. This means that the requirements placed upon the suppliers are extremely high. Parts and manufacturing abroad must be tested and certified before they’re assembled into the airplane at Boeing’s facilities in the US. Furthermore, many parts are imported for their specific tooling and machining processes currently only available from other countries.
Can the US shift toward fully domestic aircraft production? It’s unlikely and if so, it could take many years. As the American aviation industry braces for uncertain times ahead with new tariffs, maintaining strong international partnerships remains essential for ensuring both innovation and resilience in aircraft production.