Spirit AeroSystems Inc., which acquired Boeing Co.’s commercial aircraft plants in Wichita and Oklahoma last year, announced Tuesday that it would buy a division of a British manufacturer.

Spirit said it would pay $142 million for the aerostructures business unit of BAE Systems, also assuming some of its liabilities, in a transaction expected to close in the first half of this year.

The BAE Systems unit has operations in Prestwick, Scotland, and Samlesbury, England. What will be known as Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Ltd. produces components similar to those that Spirit now makes for other airplane programs.