June 11 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) said on Tuesday it

will open a new engineering facility in Florida for its defense

and government services portfolios and aims to hire for nearly

200 engineering jobs this year.

Initial plans for the facility in Daytona Beach include

employees performing engineering work for military aircraft

programs and advanced technology capabilities, with a focus on

engineering design, research, development and prototyping

capabilities.

Boeing Daytona Beach is expected to be operational by late

fall, with the planemaker expecting that hiring for the facility

will nearly double over the next few years.

Earlier on Tuesday, Boeing ( BA ) said it had delivered 24

commercial planes in May, about half of the 50 jets it handed

over to customers during the same month a year earlier, as it

continued operating a slower assembly line to complete

outstanding work.