Boeing Bird of Prey and X-36 Inducted into Air Force Museum

Boeing Bird of Prey and X-36 Inducted into Air Force Museum

DAYTON, Ohio July 16, 2003 - Two Boeing [NYSE: BA] technology demonstrator
aircraft today officially became part of the world's oldest and largest
military aviation museum - the prestigious United States Air Force Museum in
Dayton, Ohio.

The Bird of Prey technology demonstrator and the X-36 flight demonstrator
were welcomed into the museum's collection in a ceremony this afternoon.
Designed, produced and demonstrated by Boeing Phantom Works, the company's
advanced research & development unit that serves as a catalyst of innovation
for the enterprise, both aircraft will now be on permanent display at the
museum, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The Boeing-funded Bird of Prey pioneered breakthrough low-observable
technologies and revolutionized aircraft design, development and production
techniques. The once highly classified project extended from 1992 through
1999, and developed technologies and capabilities that have become industry
standards.

Jointly funded under a 50/50 cost-sharing arrangement between Boeing and
NASA, the X-36 is a 28-percent scale tailless agility flight demonstrator,
designed, built, and successfully flight-tested between 1993 and 1998. The
remotely piloted research aircraft combined several key emerging
technologies to demonstrate for the first time, tailless high angle of
attack agility, and low-observability in a combat style unmanned
configuration.

"Over a million people each year will be able to view not only the past but
also the future of aerospace," said George Muellner, senior vice president
and general manager of Air Force Systems for Boeing. "The technical
achievements and applications to future aircraft that the Bird of Prey and
the X-36 Research Aircraft introduced will be forever noted, as they join
the largest and finest collection of aircraft and missiles in the world."

Charles D. Metcalf, U.S. Air Force Museum director, concurred. "The addition
of the Bird of Prey and X-36 to our growing collection is significant
because these demonstrators helped pioneer stealth technology and
revolutionize aircraft design and production," said. "As proud as we are to
portray Air Force history, we also want to present modern technology and
give our visitors a picture of how today's evolving capabilities are shaping
tomorrow's Air Force."

The United States Air Force Museum attracts 1.2 million visitors a year and
boasts a collection of more than 300 aircraft and missiles, thousands of
artifacts and a comprehensive storyline that connects the earliest days of
flight with today's stealth age. Through its massive collection, sensory
exhibits, special events and educational programs, the museum presents the
mission, history and evolving capabilities of America's Air Force to the
world.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems is one of the
world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis,
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $25 billion business. It provides
systems solutions to its global military, government and commercial
customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the
world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based
communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense;
NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.

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Contacts:
Jim Bafaro
Integrated Defense Systems
314-232-4071

Erik Simonsen
Air Force Systems
562-496-5692

Dave Phillips
Phantom Works
312-544-2125


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Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info

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