One vision, one approach

Imagine a single warfighter, unarmed and stranded in the desert, holding only a hand-held computer. He enters his location and waits a second or two for the answer: "Proceed east on foot for 600 meters and wait. A jeep from your unit is en route."

Knowledge like this is invaluable, especially in perilous conditions. But to achieve this capability, a warfighter needs a device with the inherent ability to tap into a network and obtain critical information—no more, no less—no matter the warfighter's location or uniform color.

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Network's value holds on battlefield, at work

Jim Albaugh, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems president and CEO, recently spoke to Boeing Frontiers about IDS' transformation into a network-enabled company, the challenges this presents and the company's success in delivering NCO solutions to the customer. He also discussed the significance of NCO to enhancing Boeing's core capabilities and competitiveness now and in the future.

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Confidence in the system

When tragedy strikes, the best course of action is to learn from the experience and make improvements before trying again. As the STS-114 crew prepares to return the Space Shuttle to flight in July, they're taking to heart lessons learned from the Columbia accident in February 2003. Former mission specialist Mike Lounge said those lessons are similar to his experience on STS-26, the mission after the Challenger tragedy in 1986.

Lounge, a veteran of three space flights who's logged 482 hours in space, is now a Boeing Space Exploration Systems business development director within the NASA Systems unit of Integrated Defense Systems. Lounge, along with former pilot Dick Covey who works for Boeing Homeland Security, understands better than most what the STS-114 crew is experiencing as they prepare for their upcoming flight.

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Raising the bar (code)

As part of a new Pentagon compliance requirement for defense suppliers, Unique Item Identifiers (UIIs) will need to be affixed to or directly marked on specified parts and products.

But this is more than a government requirement. Integrated Defense Systems has taken this assignment as an opportunity to further improve asset management, logistical support and inventory management processes that benefit the company and its customers. Comparable to a Social Security Number, a UII is globally unique to the item to which it is assigned. Specific data about the part—including serial number, part number, history, use and configuration—is maintained in a Defense Department registry.

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'There's nothing like it'

Results drive customer praise, which stimulates global interest, resulting in product longevity.

The Apache helicopter team used that formula to win over the U.S. Army in the early 1980s. It's followed that game plan to attract and secure international customers for the AH-64D Apache Longbow.

"Our international customers and potential customers see what the Apache has done and know there's nothing like it," said Hugh Dimmery, Apache International Business Development manager. "The Apache also keeps showing it can perform more missions under more circumstances so our customers have maximum flexibility."

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Ready for the test

Only three months after its public debut, the KC-767A tanker/transport reached another milestone in May with a successful first flight after modifications.

The aircraft's flight of more than an hour over the Great Plains marked the official start of its flying and aerial refueling certification test program. The first-of-its-kind, advanced aerial tanker will continue a rigorous testing and certification process for about 10 months before being delivered to the Italian air force in spring 2006.

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The name counts

What's in a name? When it comes to Global Strike Solutions, it's everything, according to George Muellner.

Muellner, vice president and general manager of the Air Force Systems unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, came up with the name Global Strike Solutions. It's the name of a new organization in Air Force Systems. The organization's mission: address the growing need to integrate platforms to give the customer what they want.

"Our government customer is thinking more and more about integrated solutions as opposed to just platforms. Just offering them weapons, an unmanned vehicle or other platforms without understanding what the integrated solution is just didn't make sense any more," Muellner said.

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Building on strength

Upgrades in the new Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornets mean aircrews will enjoy significantly improved reliability, highersituational awareness, and greatly increased target detection and tracking range.

Boeing unveiled the first F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet on April 21 in a ceremony in St. Louis.

Among the Block II systems and features are the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system (AESA), Advanced Crew Station, and advanced mission computers and displays. These features complement and expand the F/A-18E/F's lethality and survivability.

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