ARLINGTON, Va. — Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) is reorganizing and slimming its executive ranks in hopes of becoming a more nimble corporation.
The changes are effective July 1. They include axing 50 executive positions and were announced Tuesday.
“We need to be an agile organization that is more responsive to customers’ needs and committed to continually improving productivity,” BDS President and CEO Leanne Caret said in a news release. “We are fundamentally addressing how we compete, win, and grow in Boeing’s second century.”
The changes were inspired by customers and employees who “have pointed out that we could benefit from streamlining the organization,” Boeing spokesman Todd Blecher said in an email to The Daily Herald.
“We took that to heart and have taken a step to make us more responsive, innovative and affordable,” he said.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon was among the customers encouraging BDS to go on an executive diet.
Four new entities will report directly to Caret:
- Autonomous Systems: Insitu and Liquid Robotics subsidiaries; Echo Voyager maritime vehicle; vertical lift unmanned systems; and certain electronic and information systems.
- Space and Missile Systems: satellites; Boeing’s share of United Launch Alliance; the International Space Station; Ground-based Midcourse Defense; Ground Based Strategic Deterrent; Joint Direct Attack Munition and Harpoon weapons, among others.
- Strike, Surveillance and Mobility: F-15 and F/A-18 fighters; P-8 maritime patrol aircraft; Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System; modifications/upgrades to fixed-wing aircraft.
- Vertical Lift: AH-6i, AH-64 Apache, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters; V-22 Osprey tilt rotor.
The following executives will head the departments:
- Autonomous Systems: Chris Raymond.
- Space and Missile Systems: Jim Chilton.
- Strike, Surveillance and Mobility: Shelley Lavender.
- Vertical Lift: David Koopersmith.
Other BDS units — Development, Global Operations, and Phantom Works — will largely not be affected. All three report to Caret.
Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.
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