Boeing
The Boeing Company[1], more commonly known simply as Boeing, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aircraft, both in the commercial and military worlds, and is one of the world's largest defense contractors.
Boeing was founded in Seattle, Washington by William Boeing in 1916, the company started manufacturing seaplanes. It later moved its headquarters to Chicago, Illinois, before moving them to Arlington, Virginia in May 2022.
As of 2026 the company is organized into three divisions:
- Commercial Airplanes (based in Seattle with major operations in South Carolina); this division is known for its notable commercial aircraft such as the 7X7 series
- Defense, Space & Security (also based in Arlington, Virginia, but in February 2026 announced plans to relocate the division headquarters to St. Louis, where most of its military aircraft are built); notable programs include the F-15 and F-18, the AH-64 Apache, the V-22 Osprey (co-built with Bell Helicopter Textron), and the upcoming F-47
- Global Services (based in Plano, Texas); this division provides aftermarket support (such as spare parts and maintenance) for commercial and military customers
History
Boeing built huge numbers of bombers during World War II including some 12,000 B-17 Flying Fortresses and 3,900 B-29 Superfortresses. The technological advancements following World War II allowed Boeing to create the first successful passenger jet, the 707. Since then, commercial Boeing aircraft have had a 7x7 designation. In the 1960s, Boeing introduced their best-selling commercial aircraft to date, the 737, a short- or medium-range two-engined airliner. In January 1970, the 747 was introduced as the largest commercial aircraft at the time. In 1996, Boeing acquired Rockwell’s aerospace and defense units and in August 1997, Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas.
Space Program
Boeing was an important company in Project Apollo, as well as the Space Shuttle Program, and it was the first contractor for the International Space Station.
Notable Designs
- 707
- 727
- 737
- 747
- 757
- 767
- 777
- 787
- KC-135 Stratotanker
- P-26 Peashooter
- B-17 Flying Fortress
- B-29 Superfortress
- B-52 Stratofortress
- AH-64
- CH-47
- V-22 Osprey (the world's first "tilt-rotor" aircraft, designed and manufactured in partnership with Bell Helicopter Textron)
- E-3 Sentry
- F-15
- F/A-18 (acquired in the McDonnell Douglas purchase), this also includes the E/A-18 Growler electronic warfare variant
References
- ↑ This is the actual name of the company, though legally it is a corporation.
