Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) is a division of The Boeing Company based in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. The division builds military airplanes, rotorcraft, and missiles, as well as space systems for both commercial and military customers, including satellites, spacecraft, and rockets.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Formerly
  • Boeing Military Airplane Company
  • Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Company typeDivision
IndustryAerospace and Defense
Founded1939; 85 years ago (1939)
Headquarters,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
RevenueIncrease US$24.9 billion (2023)
Positive decrease US$(1.8) billion (2023)
Total assetsIncrease US$14.9 billion (2023)
Number of employees
Decrease 17,925 (2023)
ParentThe Boeing Company
DivisionsRotorcraft Systems
SubsidiariesUnited Launch Alliance (50%)
Websiteboeing.com/defense
Footnotes / references
Financials as of December 31, 2023.
References:[1][2]

It was formerly known as Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), which was formed in 2002 by combining the former "Military Aircraft and Missile Systems" and "Space and Communications" divisions.[3] The group that brought together major names in aerospace; Boeing Military Airplane Company; Hughes Satellite Systems; Hughes Helicopters (the civilian helicopter line was divested as MD Helicopters); Piasecki Helicopter (subsequently known as Boeing Vertol and Boeing Helicopters); the McDonnell division of McDonnell Douglas; and the former North American Aviation division of Rockwell International.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security made Boeing the third-largest defense contractor in the world in 2021[4] and helped make Boeing the second-largest U.S. federal government contractor in fiscal year 2019.

History

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Boeing Defense, Space & Security was headquartered in Greater St. Louis north of St. Louis Lambert International Airport in the northern St. Louis suburb of Berkeley, Missouri, until January 2017, when top executives and support staff were relocated to Arlington, Virginia.[5] There are also significant operations in nearby Missouri communities, such as Hazelwood and St. Charles. It remains one of the largest employers in Greater St. Louis with 13,707 local employees as of 2018.[6]

Other major locations of BDS are in California and Washington state. Boeing chose to locate the defense systems offices in the St. Louis area because of the role of the space and aircraft programs of the former McDonnell Douglas location, and bipartisan support from area politicians.[7]

In 2016, Boeing moved the division headquarters from St. Louis to Arlington, Virginia in the Washington, D.C. area and located close to The Pentagon.[8]

In October 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing was exploring a sale of some of its space division programs including the Starliner spacecraft and operations that support the International Space Station.[9]

Organization

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Boeing BDS has four divisions focused on vertical lift; mobility, surveillance and bombers; air dominance; and space, intelligence and weapons systems.[10]

  • Vertical Lift – The world's largest provider of military rotorcraft including cargo, tiltrotor, and attack.
  • Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers – Includes KC-46, SAOC, E-7, VC-25B, P-8, Bombers, AWACS/AEW&C.
  • Air Dominance – Includes classified programs; the F/A-18, F-15, T-7, MQ-25 and MQ-28 programs; and the non-space Phantom Works portfolio.
  • Space, Intelligence & Weapon Systems – Includes space exploration and launch programs, satellites, munitions, missiles, weapon system deterrents, maritime undersea, Phantom Works Space and subsidiaries (BI&A, Millennium, Insitu, Liquid Robotics, Spectrolab, Argon and DRT).

Products

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Bomber aircraft

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Rotorcraft

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Fighter and attack aircraft

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X-32B Joint Strike Fighter
 
F-15E Strike Eagle

Experimental aircraft

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Tankers and transport aircraft

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KC-135 Stratotanker refuels F-15C Eagle

Trainer aircraft

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Electronic warfare, surveillance and other military variants

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E-3 Sentry

Utility aircraft

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Unmanned aerial vehicles

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The X-45A UAV, a prototype for the significantly larger X-45C

Missiles

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Space launch and spacecraft

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Delta rocket family

Boeing Launch Services Inc. (BLS) is Boeing's commercial launch service provider. On behalf of its commercial customers, BLS administers launch service contracts for Delta II and Delta IV launches[11][12] conducted by United Launch Alliance. In November 2010, Boeing Defense, Space & Security was selected by NASA for consideration for potential contract awards for heavy lift launch vehicle system concepts, and propulsion technologies.[13]

Spaceplanes

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Satellites

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Space probes

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Other

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the Pegasus-class hydrofoils

Facilities

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On July 21, 2006, Boeing announced that it would consolidate its Southern California locations. The Boeing facility in Anaheim will be moving to Huntington Beach, California.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Boeing: The Boeing Company: General Information".
  2. ^ "The Boeing Co. 2023 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. January 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Boeing: Boeing Realigns Defense, Intelligence and Space Businesses". archive.ph. February 28, 2008.
  4. ^ "Top 100 | Defense News, News about defense programs, business, and technology". Defensenews.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. ^ Brown, Lisa (13 December 2016). "Boeing moving defense HQ from St. Louis to D.C. area". STLtoday.com.
  6. ^ "St. Louis' Largest Employers, as of August 2018". St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  7. ^ "St. Louis Lands $23 Billion Boeing Defense, Space & Security Headquarters". St. Louis Commerce Magazine. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  8. ^ Brown, Lisa (2016-12-13). "Boeing moving defense HQ from St. Louis to D.C. area". St Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  9. ^ Terlep, Sharon; Maidenberg, Micah (October 25, 2024). "Boeing Explores Sale of Space Business". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 25, 2024. The beleaguered company is exploring a sale of its storied NASA business, including the troubled Starliner space vehicle and operations that support the International Space Station, according to people familiar with the matter.
  10. ^ Boeing Reorganizes Defense, Space & Security Business Unit, Boeing (Media), 2022-11-17
  11. ^ "GOES-O Mission Overview" (PDF). National Aeronautic and Space Administration.
  12. ^ "Delta II Launch Vehicle". National Aeronautic and Space Administration. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  13. ^ "NASA Selects Companies for Heavy-Lift Vehicle Studies". NASA. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  14. ^ to Consolidate Southern California Facilities Archived November 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Boeing (2006-07-21). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Boeing Defense, Space & Security locations in the U.S.. Boeing, December 2009. Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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