Boeing Co. said Tuesday that it will move the headquarters of its defense unit from St. Louis to the Washington area.

The decision, which will affect about a dozen top executives and some support staff, reflects the aerospace giant’s desire to be closer to the levers of power in the nation’s capital.

Boeing said the move had been under consideration for several months and was unrelated to the results of the Nov. 8 election.

“We continue to expand our leadership presence in the [Washington] area to increase customer engagement in a highly competitive market,” Boeing spokesman Philip Carder told the Post-Dispatch. “Approximately one dozen positions will be part of the initial move and we anticipate about 50 positions will eventually relocate there over time.”