The Boeing Company: A global aerospace leader and one of the world’s largest defense contractors, specializing in the design and manufacture of military aircraft, rotorcraft, weapons, and space systems. Operating primarily through its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) division, Boeing’s military legacy is defined by its production of iconic platforms such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-52 Stratofortress bombers. Following its 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, Boeing expanded its portfolio to include the F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, solidifying its role as a primary provider of air superiority and strike capabilities for the U.S. and its allies.
In addition to fixed-wing combat aircraft, Boeing is a dominant force in military vertical lift and specialized mission platforms. It produces the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport, while also developing commercial-derivative aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon (maritime patrol) and the KC-46 Pegasus (aerial refueling). The company is also a leader in precision-guided munitions, manufacturing the Joint Direct Attack MunitionJDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition): A guidance kit that converts unguided free-fall bombs into precision-guided munitions using GPS and inertial navi... More (JDAMJDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition): A guidance kit that converts unguided free-fall bombs into precision-guided munitions using GPS and inertial navi... More) kits and the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). Looking toward the future of aerial warfare, Boeing is heavily involved in autonomous systems, such as the MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based refueler and the MQ-28 Ghost Bat “loyal wingman” drone.