Overview
Phantom Works is the advanced research and development unit and catalyst of innovation for the Boeing enterprise. It is where dreams about the future of flight and space travel are turned into reality.
As an element of the Boeing Technology organization, Phantom Works' mission is to provide advanced systems solutions (like advanced homeland security and air traffic management) and breakthrough technologies (like advanced avionics and composite materials) that significantly improve the performance, quality and affordability of aerospace products and services.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., Phantom Works' approximately 2,600 employees are spread across the enterprise, working virtually together while directly supporting Boeing's commercial, defense, and communications business units. Its more than 375 systems and technology projects -- many of which are proprietary -- include those for its external customers (NASA, DOD, FAA, etc.) as well.
To efficiently address a broad spectrum of needs, Phantom Works is divided into advanced systems teams and advanced technology teams. The former tend to focus on addressing specific new business markets. The advanced technology teams, on the other hand, focus on providing engineering, information and manufacturing technologies commonly needed by all the Boeing business units.
In both cases, the innovative solutions Phantom Works provides are designed to meet near- and medium-term needs of the business units, as well as longer term competitive needs of the company.
For meeting near- and medium -term needs, Phantom Works has technology "thrusts" focused on the following: advanced platform systems; materials, structures, and manufacturing technology; lean and efficient design processes and tools; support and services; and network centric operations. Technologies from these thrusts are transitioned into both current and advanced military and commercial programs to help reduce cycle time and cost while improving quality and performance.
To enable the development of system solutions that meet medium and longer term needs, Phantom Works has also identified and is working on a set of critical technologies it appropriately classifies as "enabling" technologies. While most of these are of a proprietary nature, they generally fall into such categories as intelligent systems, multifunctional structures, advanced materials and processes, and more.
For the more distant future, Phantom Works also develops "new frontiers" concepts using a disciplined process that identifies product lines or services not listed in the long-rang plans of the business units but having potential for significant growth. Such futuristic concepts include a personal transportation system involving auto-piloted flying "cars" in an advanced air traffic controlled environment.
To achieve all these ambitious goals, Phantom Works collaborates not only with its internal and external customers, but also with universities, research agencies and other high technology companies around the world to ensure it is meeting its customers' needs with the best, most innovative and most affordable solutions available today -- and in the future.
In all these ways, and more, Phantom Works is making dreams about the future of aerospace come true.