Britain’s competition regulator has approved Boeing’s planned $4.7bn acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, deciding against an in-depth probe into potential anti-competitive effects.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday it would not move to a “phase 2” investigation based on the evidence reviewed. A full explanation of the decision will be published later. The CMA launched its initial review in June with a deadline of 28 August.

Boeing welcomed the ruling, saying it would continue working through other regulatory processes. The deal, which would end nearly two decades of independence for Spirit, still requires clearance from the European Commission and the US Federal Trade Commission. Spirit expects completion in the fourth quarter of 2025.

As part of restructuring ahead of the takeover, Wichita-based Spirit announced the $95.3m sale of its Subang, Malaysia, plant to Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM). The facility will supply Boeing’s 737 and 787 programmes as well as Airbus’s A220, A320, and A350.

Boeing agreed last year to reacquire Spirit, its former aerostructures unit, in an all-stock deal aimed at tightening quality control and streamlining production. In July, it also arranged to take over parts of Spirit’s operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from Airbus, which has separately acquired several Spirit sites linked to its aircraft programmes.

The move comes as Boeing works to stabilise operations after years of production setbacks, safety crises, and financial strain.