Boeing 2006 Annual Report Download - page 20

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In support of long-term growth
and productivity goals, Boeing is
developing an integrated, multi-
year technology strategy that
maximizes the yield of its R&D
investments while balancing
near- and long-term needs.
To develop this strategy, technology
leaders from across the enterprise are
combining their collective knowledge of
customers’ needs, program require-
ments, current and emerging internal
and external technology development,
future opportunities and more.
As a result, business units can better
focus their technology investments
on meeting the near-term needs of
current programs — like the 737, 777,
F/A-18E/F, and C-17 programs — as
well as the near- to mid-term needs of
development programs — like the 787,
747-8, Future Combat Systems and
EA-18G programs.
In turn, Boeing’s advanced R&D unit —
Phantom Works — is better able to focus
its investments on meeting the mid-
to long-term needs for advanced tech-
nologies in such areas as design,
analysis, avionics, materials, structures
and robotics, which are pursued through
technology relationships with universities,
R&D agencies and non-aerospace com-
panies around the world, as well as
through internal development.
Such technologies not only will enable
the development of more futuristic sys-
tems like the Orbital Express robotic
maintenance satellite, Waverider and
HiFire hypersonic vehicles and X-48B
blended-wing body concept — all of
which will be flight tested in 2007 —
but they also can be used to improve
the performance, quality and cost of
current systems.
Equally important, this integrated
technology investment strategy
will allow Boeing to better leverage
its unique ability to meet customers’
needs with high-performance, low-
cost, combined commercial and
military system solutions.
This unique strength in systems develop-
ment is exemplified by our use of the
Boeing 737 to develop the multi-mission
P-8A Poseidon for the U.S. Navy and
the Airborne Early Warning & Control
System aircraft for various international
customers, the 747 for the U.S. Air
Force’s Airborne Laser program, and the
767 as part of our bid for the U.S. Air
Force’s tanker program.
The recent integration of the engineering,
manufacturing, program management,
supplier management, quality and infor-
mation technology functions across
the enterprise further strengthens our
competitive advantage and provides
additional leverage for our technology
investments. Closer functional integration
will enable us to eliminate duplication of
efforts, better leverage global technology
sources, and combine complementary
strengths in technology expertise — all of
which are essential to providing high-
value, large-scale systems solutions to
meet our customers’ needs.
Such integrated, collaborative efforts
are ensuring that the right technologies
will be in the right place at the right time,
allowing Boeing to more efficiently and
effectively execute its current programs,
compete for and win new business,
and maintain its global leadership in the
aerospace industry.
Boeing has been studying the structural, aerodynamic and operational advantages
of a blended-wing body aircraft concept for potential future military applications.
We are conducting flight tests in 2007 on two high-fidelity subscale prototypes—
designated X-48B — to learn more about the concept’s critical low-speed flying
characteristics.