Boeing :: Airplanes, Defense Products & Space Systems

Boeing is a leading global aerospace company that develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. With a heritage dating back to 1916 and headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, Boeing operates across three major segments—Commercial Airplanes, Defense, Space & Security, and Boeing Global Services—while maintaining a workforce of approximately 170,000 employees worldwide. The company emphasizes innovation, safety, quality, and sustainability as it advances next-generation platforms that integrate advanced autonomy, artificial intelligence, and resilient systems.

In the area of robot-based products, Boeing has built a strong portfolio of autonomous and unmanned systems through its Defense, Space & Security division and subsidiaries including Insitu, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Liquid Robotics. Its loyal wingman-class aircraft, such as the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, operate collaboratively with crewed fighters to extend reach, enhance sensor coverage, and perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in contested environments. The MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial refueler extends the combat range of F/A-18 and other strike fighters by delivering carrier-based autonomous refueling. In space, the reusable X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle conducts long-duration autonomous spaceplane missions for rapid, persistent orbit access. Maritime autonomy is represented by the XLUUV extra-large unmanned undersea vehicle, which performs independent sensing, surveillance, and logistics tasks beneath the ocean surface.

Additional capabilities come from Boeing’s subsidiaries. Insitu delivers tactical unmanned aerial systems with millions of operational flight hours worldwide. Aurora Flight Sciences designs advanced autonomous aircraft and enabling technologies. Liquid Robotics provides the Wave Glider, a persistent uncrewed surface vehicle for ocean surveillance. These platforms are engineered for human-machine teaming, secure communications, and scalable mission architectures, allowing them to operate alongside crewed systems while reducing risk to personnel.

Boeing continues to invest heavily in autonomy through programs such as the MQ-25, KC-46 tanker enhancements, and collaborative combat aircraft initiatives. Its solutions emphasize reliability, interoperability with allied forces, and rigorous testing to deliver mission effectiveness across air, space, and maritime domains.