Small munition represents big win

The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Boeing a contract worth approximately $188 million for the continued development and production of the Small Diameter Bomb. Upon completion of design and development, the program could generate an estimated $2.5 billion in sales to the USAF.

The SDB is a 250-pound-class, near-precision-guided weapon launched from a fighter, bomber or unmanned aircraft. It will destroy targets from a range of greater than 40 miles and penetrate more than 3 feet of steel-reinforced concrete. Its compact size of 71 inches long and 7.5 inches wide (1.8 meters by 190.5 millimeters) allows for an increased weapons load on each aircraft. Carriages designed by Boeing hold four SDBs and quadruple the number of possible targets destroyed per combat sortie.

Boeing will build an estimated 24,000 weapons and 2,000 carriages over the next 10 years at its production facility in St. Charles, Mo. The first delivery is scheduled for October 2005. The SDB will be fielded on the Boeing-built F-15E and subsequently on the F/A-22, F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter), Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems, and almost all other weapons platforms.

"Aircrews must have an all-weather precision weapon available that can destroy a wide range of targets with lethality while minimizing collateral damage," said George Muellner, senior vice president and general manager, Air Force Systems, for Boeing. "SDB is that weapon, and our talented team is committed to delivering it."

IDS launches new TV ads

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems last month launched a new TV advertising campaign that focuses on Boeing technology and people, connecting what Boeing does every day to the ultimate benefits company platforms and systems deliver: freedom, security and safety.

"These spots show how the full resources of Boeing are at work every day to serve our country and the world," said Mary Foerster, IDS Communications vice president. "They are the result of more than a year of research with our key audiences, including customers, employees, and analysts, and are a powerful reflection of the Boeing brand."

Shot primarily in Southern California over two weeks in July, the two 30-second spots are a blend of actual Boeing IDS products in action, as well as images and actors representing the diverse American lifestyle, the military and Boeing employees at work.

"The employees at all of our locations really pulled out all the stops to help make this commercial shoot a real success," said Pat Riddle, director of advertising for IDS. "They kept working miracles to get our ad agency production company through long days, including last-minute costume changes, security concerns ... even moving a C-17 into position to get the best shot."

The IDS TV campaign, which made its debut Sept. 21, appears on cable, local news and Sunday morning public affairs shows in Washington, D.C. Plans call for the ads to appear on nationwide cable programming before the end of the year.

Employees can view the ads on the Boeing intranet at http://boeingnews.web.boeing.com/archive/09_03/091903/030919a_ ids_ads_video.html.

King kicks off first of Boeing's diversity summits in Philadelphia

The Rev. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helped kick off the first of six regional Boeing diversity summits last month in Philadelphia.

During her Sept. 9 keynote speech, King addressed the rapidly changing corporate culture that seeks and values the contributions of all people, saying, "I challenge Boeing to learn the art of living, working and coexisting as a family. ... I encourage everyone to embrace the spirit of diversity."

The remaining summits are scheduled for Boeing locations in Huntsville, Ala., the Puget Sound area and St. Louis, with events taking place in San Antonio and Southern California this month. Boeing designed the summits, organizers said, to celebrate the cultural differences of employees and reinforce a corporate culture that embraces diversity.