RENO, NV—Boeing is to provide engineering, manufacturing and flight test resources to supersonic-aircraft developer Aerion to help the startup bring its business AS2 jet to market by 2023. The AS2 has been designed to fly at speeds of up to Mach 1.4.

“This is a strategic and disciplined leading-edge investment in further maturing supersonic technology," says Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt. "This partnership combines Aerion’s supersonic expertise with Boeing’s global industrial scale and commercial aviation experience.”

Aerion was founded in 2003 and publicized the design of its AS2 12-passenger business jet in 2014. In October last year, the company revealed that the AS2 will use the supersonic Affinity engine being developed by GE Aviation, and that it is working with Honeywell on the Avionics for the aircraft.

The company is no longer working with Lockheed Martin on the AS2’s development, it has been reported. The company announced a partnership with Lockheed in 2017.

“The AS2 is the launch point for the future of regulatory-compliant and efficient supersonic flight," according to Tom Vice, chairman, president and CEO of Aerion. "Together with Boeing, we’re creating a faster, more connected future with tremendous possibilities for enhancing humanity’s productivity and potential.”

Earlier this month, Aerion’s competitor Boom Supersonic said it was on course to start flight testing a prototype of its Overture regional supersonic aircraft this year.