Boeing's Next Generation Platforms- Conclusion
While the sky's the limit for Boeing Defense, many factors still remain about the future health for this dominant player. It's facing a time with reduced budgets, increased competition from overseas, and stronger competition from it's own soil thanks to the high priority faced on Lockheed for the fast-jet industry. While some say the writing has been on the wall since they lost the JSF bid in 2001, other's say it was a matter of keeping industry alive. If Boeing does indeed exit the fast-jet/air defense business over the next decade, the commercial division, which is currently riding an all time high, keeps the company afloat. If Lockheed didn't have the JSF, they would not be in the major manufacturing business outside of the C-130 and Skunk Works.
Vast opportunities do exist in the UAV department, it's only going to grow in the coming decades. While Boeing is competing for the Navy's UCAS program, Northrop undoubtedly has the lead thanks to it's X-47 trials. While we don't know much about the black world, Boeing has made strides in this field thanks to the Phantom Ray, ScanEagle, and X-51 trials over the last decade.
Interestingly enough outside the C-17 production line, the majority of air platforms being produced has been geared toward the Navy/Army almost exclusively. The last USAF delivery from Boeing was an F-15E Strike Eagle almost a decade ago. With the KC-46, NGB, and T-X, Boeing is competing to become one of the biggest defense suppliers to the United States Air Force. Navy ties still run thick, outside the Super Hornet, T-45, and P-8, Boeing has already began to develop a sixth generation Naval fighter to replace the F/A-18E/F known as F/A-XX.The focus now is stretching the F-15 and F/A-18 platforms long enough to win orders from the current ongoing contests. It won't be easy, the market for twin engine fighters at the mid and high level price ranges (50-60 million per Super Hornet, 85-100 per Eagle) is vastly shrinking. The high market belongs to Lockheed, F-35 problems aside, while the low is being given to Saab from Lockheed slowly phasing out the F-16.
However even if Boeing never produced a stand alone defense design again, the defense industry's overall switch to space and cyber-warfare in the coming decades will keep the company well positioned to compete and stay relevant. While I would list the many innovations coming within the space, cyber, and drone fields that is not this Tumblr's cup of tea.
The whole point of these write-up's is due to the media and aviation specialties becoming more inclined to declare Boeing as 'dead' in the fast-jet market. While struggles and uncertainty exist, the bigger picture and future trends show that the company will survive within the air-defense sector as a whole while less reliance is put on traditional fighter aircraft in the coming decades.