We operate in a more-for-less environment. This reality is characterized by steep budget cuts and constraints that at times curtail the ability for customers to acquire the products and services they need.  

Our success, and the success of our customers, is determined by our ability to innovate and provide the right capability, at the right cost, at the right time – despite those constraints. At Boeing, we are taking this opportunity to leverage the strength of both our commercial, and defense, space and security businesses to drive not only growth, productivity, and affordability, but also a continued commitment to investment in research and development. That commitment enables us to determine our customer’s future product and service needs, spur innovation, and quickly deliver proven solutions to the market.  

An example of how Boeing is providing a rapid, more-for-less, solution is Phantom Eye, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system designed to operate for up to four days without refueling. The vehicle uses a unique, highly efficient liquid-hydrogen propulsion system, which produces only water as a byproduct. Phantom Eye is capable of carrying a 450-pound payload while remaining aloft for up to four days, and a full-size version is expected to carry 2,000 pounds and stay aloft for up to 10 days. These characteristics will allow Phantom Eye to provide constant Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), missile defense, or communications support — all while saving infrastructure, personnel, and fuel costs for customers.  

Other products, like Boeing’s Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA), build on proven technologies while leveraging rapid prototyping capabilities and lean manufacturing techniques to deliver advanced, fielded solutions to the global market. So while the MSA may look like a standard business jet, it is anything but. MSA includes best-of-industry sensor capabilities, and an architectural design that allows for flexibility across customers, missions and industry partners.  

As long as Boeing continues to be a part of a healthy aerospace industrial base we will continue to invest in research and development to bring innovation to our customers. A joint commitment by policymakers, our customers, and Boeing to an industrial base where affordable innovation can flourish, will ensure that we deliver the right products and services for our military men and women to carry out their missions. Because no matter what environment we operate in, we’ve always got their back.  

To learn more about Boeing’s Maritime Surveillance Aircraft, click here .